A deep upper-level low and its associated strong surface low pressure system swept through the region during the early morning hours. The atmosphere across central and south Georgia was moderately unstable with strong low and mid-level wind shear.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS FFC wrote it up.
A deep upper-level low and its associated strong surface low pressure system swept through the region during the early morning hours. The atmosphere across central and south Georgia was moderately unstable with strong low and mid-level wind shear. A line of strong thunderstorms developed in southern Alabama and moved east into south Georgia. As this line swept east, an isolated severe thunderstorm moved northeast into central Georgia producing isolated wind damage in Crisp County.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 12:49 AM EST, 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED AVIATION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1249 AM EST WED FEB 24 2016 .UPDATE... /ISSUED AT 1215 AM EST WED FEB 24 2016/ TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA. RESENDING TO INCLUDING WATCH COUNTIES BELOW. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 955 PM EST TUE FEB 23 2016/ UPDATE... WITH WEDGE HOLDING IN PLACE SO FAR...HAVE TRIED TO ADJUST TEMPERATURES DOWN WITH NOT MUCH CHANGE. HOWEVER...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY EVENTUALLY ERODE THE WEDGE AND TEMPERATURES MAY MODIFY DURING THE NIGHT. OTHERWISE NO CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. 41 PREVIOUS... ..SEVERE STORMS LIKELY TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY INCLUDING TORNADOES... SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... WATER VAPOR IMAGERY PRETTY MUCH TELLS THE STORY WITH LOCAL AREA BETWEEN SYSTEMS AT THIS POINT. DRIER AIR AT THE MID LEVELS CONTINUE TO MOVE IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND ALTHOUGH THIS WILL LIMIT INITIAL OVERALL INTENSITY OF STORMS...STILL SEE SOME LOW TOPPED CONVECTION BEGINNING NORTH OF INTERSTATE 10. THIS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BUILD NORTHWARD AND EXPAND IN COVERAGE AS DIFFLUENCE ALOFT INCREASES WITH APPROACHING STRONG SHORTWAVE. OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE HAS BEEN THE STRENGTH AND EXTENT OF WEDGE WHICH MODELS HAVE HAD A POOR HANDLE ON. AREAS THAT WERE FORECAST TO IMPROVE CIG AND TEMPERATURE WISE HAVE SEEN LITTLE IF ANY IMPROVEMENT AND THIS SHOULD PERSIST FOR MUCH OF THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS. FOR TONIGHT...INGREDIENTS CONTINUE TO BE COMING TOGETHER FOR A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT TO INCLUDE A WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WIND THREAT AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE WEDGE INCLUDING ALL OF SW GEORGIA BUT THREAT WILL EVENTUALLY SPREAD FURTHER NE TO INCLUDE THE ATLANTA METRO AREAS AS WELL...LIKELY PRIOR TO DAYBREAK. WE CONTINUE TO SEE DEEP LAYER SHEAR IN EXCESS OF 100 KTS AS WELL AS LOW LEVEL HELICITY VALUES OF 300 TO 500 M2/S2. INTERESTINGLY...NAM12 AND SOME OTHER GLOBAL MODELS INDICATE A SLIGHT DISPLACEMENT OF BEST CAPE WITH BEST SHEAR VALUES AND WILL NEED TO MONITOR THIS TREND CLOSELY. REGARDLESS...FEEL THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SHEAR AND INSTABILITY OVERLAP TO WARRANT AN ENHANCED TO MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE STORMS. REALLY GOING WITH THE FASTER MODEL SOLUTIONS FOR THIS EVENT AND FEEL SOME OF THE HI RES GUIDANCE HAS THE BEST HANDLE IN PUSHING THE ENTIRE LINE THROUGH THE AREA BY 15Z-17Z. ADDITIONAL SVR POTENTIAL IS POSSIBLE TO LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY EXIT THE SE PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH WINDS BEING THE MAIN CONCERN. AS IF THIS WERE NOT ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH...WE ALSO MUST DEAL WITH GRADIENT WINDS IN THE STORMS WAKE WITH SUSTAINED 25 MPH AND HIGHER GUSTS SO HAVE ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. FINALLY...WINTER WEATHER WILL BE A CONCERN WITH WRAP AROUND MOISTURE LOOKING EXTENSIVE. ALTHOUGH BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES AT 850 MB LOOKS LIKELY SHORTLY AFTER 00Z...SURFACE TEMPERATURES REMAIN IN THE 40S INITIALLY SO VERY LITTLE SNOW WILL MIX IN. BUT BY 03Z AND ESPECIALLY 06Z...SURFACE TEMPS WILL COOL ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW FOR THE NORTHERN TIER AND ALL SNOW FOR THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS. IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE FOR THIS TO ACCUMULATE GIVEN GROUND TEMPS BUT WE WILL SEE ACCUMULATING SNOW LATE WED NIGHT INTO THU WITH POSSIBLE ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR THE MOUNTAINS. WILL ISSUE JUST AN SPS FOR NOW TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS BUT MAY NEED AN UPGRADE WITH SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS. DEESE LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... MAINLY ADJUSTED THE FIRST PORTION OF THE FCST PERIOD TO INCLUDE SOME LINGERING LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS IN PORTIONS OF FAR NORTH GA THURSDAY AND THEN FAR NE GA THURSDAY NIGHT GIVEN PROGGED THERMAL PROFILES AND MOISTURE COLUMNS. SHOULD BE SOME DECENT LAPSE RATES TO KEEP IT FAIRLY CONVECTIVE IN NATURE AND AS MENTIONED BY THE END OF THE SHORT TERM...COULD SEE ACCUMULATIONS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS /UPWARDS OF 2 INCHES BEFORE ALL SAID AND DONE/. THIS MAY END UP WARRANTING AN ADVISORY WITH FUTURE UPDATES. OTHERWISE MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO FCST AND PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... BAKER LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... /ISSUED AT 346 AM EST TUE FEB 23 2016/ WRAP AROUND MOISTURE FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW AS IT LIFTS OUT OF THE REGION WILL COMBINE WITH A COOLER AIR MASS BEHIND THE FRONT TO KEEP THE POTENTIAL OF WINTRY PRECIP OVER FAR NORTH GEORGIA...PARTICULARLY THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. HAVE CONTINUED MENTION OF SNOW OR A SNOW/RAIN MIX IN FAR NORTHEASTERN GEORGIA WITH LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS /IF ANY/. FOR NOW...HAVE GONE AHEAD AND INCLUDED ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 0.4 INCHES /A DUSTING/...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED AS THURSDAY MORNING APPROACHES. AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST...RAIN/MIX CHANCES DIMINISH ALTOGETHER THURSDAY NIGHT...AND THE MAJORITY OF THE REMAINING EXTENDED FORECAST REMAINS UNEVENTFUL. COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S AND 50S...WITH A GRADUAL WARM UP INTO THE 60S BY SUNDAY. THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES THE AREA LATE SUNDAY...AND HAVE CONTINUED GOOD CHANCE POPS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY. THE GFS PUSHES THE FRONT INTO NORTHWEST GEORGIA BY MONDAY MORNING...WITH THE ECMWF SOLUTION LAGGING 6-12 HOURS BEHIND. 31 HYDROLOGY... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT FOR NORTH GEORGIA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA FROM 6PM TONIGHT THROUGH 6PM WEDNESDAY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1-3 INCHES WILL COMBINE WITH THE ALREADY 1-2 INCHES THAT HAVE FALLEN IN THE LAST 24 HOURS TO KEEP THE FLASH FLOOD RISK HIGH THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLASH FLOOD WATCH /FFAFFC/ FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. && .AVIATION... 06Z UPDATE... EASTERLY CONTINUE TO HOLD THE WEDGE IN FIRMLY ACROSS THE KATL METRO TAF SITES... BUT THIS IS EXPECTED TO GIVE WAY AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTHWARD AND VEERS WINDS MORE SOUTHERLY BY 09-10Z THIS MORNING. WINDS WILL VEER SSW BY 15Z WED... THEN MORE WESTERLY BY THE AFTERNOON. EXPECT STRONG WIND GUSTS THROUGH THE EVENING. EXPECT LIFR TO IFR CIGS TO PREVAIL THIS MORNING... THEN LIFT TO MVFR LEVELS BY LATE MORNING WHERE THEY WILL PROBABLY PREVAIL THRU MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON... THEN AGAIN TONIGHT. APPEARS THE GREATEST TSRA THREAT FOR THE TAF SITES WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 06-10Z THIS MORNING... THEN MAINLY -SHRA THRU MID TO LATE MORNING. //ATL CONFIDENCE...06Z UPDATE... MEDIUM ON CEILINGS. HIGH ON ALL REMAINING ELEMENTS. 39 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 38 52 31 53 / 20 10 5 5 ATLANTA 37 49 32 51 / 30 10 5 5 BLAIRSVILLE 32 42 27 45 / 70 30 20 5 CARTERSVILLE 36 48 30 50 / 50 10 10 5 COLUMBUS 40 56 34 56 / 20 5 5 5 GAINESVILLE 36 47 31 49 / 40 10 10 5 MACON 40 56 33 56 / 10 5 5 5 ROME 37 47 30 50 / 70 10 10 5 PEACHTREE CITY 37 51 31 52 / 30 10 5 5 VIDALIA 42 59 37 57 / 10 5 5 5 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BIBB...BLECKLEY...CHATTAHOOCHEE...CRAWFORD... CRISP...DODGE...DOOLY...EMANUEL...HARRIS...HOUSTON...JEFFERSON... JOHNSON...LAURENS...MACON...MARION...MONTGOMERY...MUSCOGEE... PEACH...PULASKI...SCHLEY...STEWART...SUMTER...TALBOT...TAYLOR... TELFAIR...TOOMBS...TREUTLEN...TWIGGS...WASHINGTON...WEBSTER... WHEELER...WILCOX...WILKINSON. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM EST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BALDWIN...BANKS...BARROW...BARTOW...BIBB...BLECKLEY...BUTTS... CARROLL...CATOOSA...CHATTAHOOCHEE...CHATTOOGA...CHEROKEE... CLARKE...CLAYTON...COBB...COWETA...CRAWFORD...CRISP...DADE... DAWSON...DEKALB...DODGE...DOOLY...DOUGLAS...EMANUEL...FANNIN... FAYETTE...FLOYD...FORSYTH...GILMER...GLASCOCK...GORDON... GREENE...GWINNETT...HALL...HANCOCK...HARALSON...HARRIS...HEARD... HENRY...HOUSTON...JACKSON...JASPER...JEFFERSON...JOHNSON... JONES...LAMAR...LAURENS...LUMPKIN...MACON...MADISON...MARION... MERIWETHER...MONROE...MONTGOMERY...MORGAN...MURRAY...MUSCOGEE... NEWTON...NORTH FULTON...OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...PAULDING...PEACH... PICKENS...PIKE...POLK...PULASKI...PUTNAM...ROCKDALE...SCHLEY... SOUTH FULTON...SPALDING...STEWART...SUMTER...TALBOT... TALIAFERRO...TAYLOR...TELFAIR...TOOMBS...TOWNS...TREUTLEN... TROUP...TWIGGS...UNION...UPSON...WALKER...WALTON...WARREN... WASHINGTON...WEBSTER...WHEELER...WHITE...WHITFIELD...WILCOX... WILKES...WILKINSON. FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BANKS...BARROW...BARTOW...BUTTS...CARROLL...CATOOSA... CHATTOOGA...CHEROKEE...CLARKE...CLAYTON...COBB...COWETA...DADE... DAWSON...DEKALB...DOUGLAS...FANNIN...FAYETTE...FLOYD...FORSYTH... GILMER...GORDON...GREENE...GWINNETT...HALL...HARALSON...HARRIS... HEARD...HENRY...JACKSON...JASPER...LAMAR...LUMPKIN...MADISON... MERIWETHER...MONROE...MORGAN...MURRAY...MUSCOGEE...NEWTON... NORTH FULTON...OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...PAULDING...PICKENS...PIKE... POLK...PUTNAM...ROCKDALE...SOUTH FULTON...SPALDING...TALBOT... TALIAFERRO...TOWNS...TROUP...UNION...UPSON...WALKER...WALTON... WHITE...WHITFIELD...WILKES. && SHORT TERM...39 LONG TERM....31 AVIATION...39
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1010 PM EST TUE FEB 23 2016 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-242000- BALDWIN-BANKS-BARROW-BARTOW-BIBB-BLECKLEY-BUTTS-CARROLL-CATOOSA- CHATTAHOOCHEE-CHATTOOGA-CHEROKEE-CLARKE-CLAYTON-COBB-COWETA- CRAWFORD-CRISP-DADE-DAWSON-DEKALB-DODGE-DOOLY-DOUGLAS-EMANUEL- FANNIN-FAYETTE-FLOYD-FORSYTH-GILMER-GLASCOCK-GORDON-GREENE- GWINNETT-HALL-HANCOCK-HARALSON-HARRIS-HEARD-HENRY-HOUSTON-JACKSON- JASPER-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-JONES-LAMAR-LAURENS-LUMPKIN-MACON- MADISON-MARION-MERIWETHER-MONROE-MONTGOMERY-MORGAN-MURRAY- MUSCOGEE-NEWTON-NORTH FULTON-OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-PAULDING-PEACH- PICKENS-PIKE-POLK-PULASKI-PUTNAM-ROCKDALE-SCHLEY-SOUTH FULTON- SPALDING-STEWART-SUMTER-TALBOT-TALIAFERRO-TAYLOR-TELFAIR-TOOMBS- TOWNS-TREUTLEN-TROUP-TWIGGS-UNION-UPSON-WALKER-WALTON-WARREN- WASHINGTON-WEBSTER-WHEELER-WHITE-WHITFIELD-WILCOX-WILKES- WILKINSON- 1010 PM EST TUE FEB 23 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING... SEVERE STORMS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED... DAMAGING WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...ISOLATED TORNADOES...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL ARE ALL POSSIBLE. DISCUSSION... A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE STATE THIS EVENING... DRAGGING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. SUPERCELL STORMS THAT DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT...AND POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT INTO A SQUALL LINE ACCOMPANYING THE FRONT...WILL PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. THE HIGHEST RISK WILL GENERALLY BE FROM 3 AM TO 11 AM WEDNESDAY. HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES...LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE. THIS RAINFALL WILL COMBINE WITH THE SATURATED ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS TO KEEP THE FLASH FLOODING RISK HIGH THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING. SEE THE LATEST FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE LATEST DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... THE THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS CONTINUES INTO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND DIMINISHES AS THE MAIN LINE OF STORMS PUSHES EAST OF THE STATE... ALTHOUGH STRONG GRADIENT WINDS ARE EXPECTED AREA-WIDE THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. MANY AREAS COULD SEE SW WINDS 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED ACCORDINGLY. WRAP AROUND MOISTURE FROM THIS SYSTEM COULD RESULT IN LIGHT WINTRY PRECIPITATION ACROSS FAR NORTH GEORGIA ON THURSDAY WITH LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. SOME HIGHER ELEVATIONS COULD SEE UP TO 2 INCHES AND FUTURE UPDATES COULD WARRANT A POSSIBLE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. FOR NOW HAVE ISSUED A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. NO HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FROM 11 PM TONIGHT THROUGH NOON WEDNESDAY. AS ALWAYS...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
759 PM EST TUE FEB 23 2016
GAZ048-056>058-070-240145-
HENRY GA-SPALDING GA-NEWTON GA-BUTTS GA-LAMAR GA-
759 PM EST TUE FEB 23 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN HENRY...EASTERN
SPALDING...WESTERN NEWTON...WESTERN BUTTS AND NORTHEASTERN LAMAR
COUNTIES UNTIL 845 PM EST...
AT 757 PM EST...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR MILNER...OR NORTH
OF BARNESVILLE...MOVING NORTH AT 35 MPH.
HAZARD...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...UP TO PENNY SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY
RAIN.
IMPACT...PEOPLE OUTDOORS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. EXPECT
MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS. LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW
LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IS ALSO LIKELY. MOTORISTS
SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE LOSS OF
CONTROL DUE TO HYDROPLANING. WHEN WATER COVERS THE
ROAD REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DO NOT DROWN.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE
MCDONOUGH...STOCKBRIDGE...LOCUST GROVE...MILNER...JENKINSBURG...
LUELLA...CHAPPEL MILL...MCKIBBEN...OAK HILL...JOHNSTONVILLE...
FLIPPEN...WALKER MILL...GOGGINS...BLACKSVILLE...OLA...KELLEYTOWN AND
LIBERTY HILL.
LAT...LON 3356 8408 3354 8406 3354 8405 3353 8404
3355 8402 3352 8394 3320 8402 3320 8404
3315 8404 3307 8407 3308 8419 3351 8421
TIME...MOT...LOC 0057Z 187DEG 32KT 3315 8412The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:42 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Crisp County Emergency Manager reported the roof blown off of a pole barn along Highway 33 between Cofer Road and Landfill Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, February 2016
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 614341.