Damaging Winds in Georgia, July 31, 2016

Name: Damaging Winds in Georgia, July 31, 2016
Start: 2016-07-31T13:16
End: 2016-07-31T14:25
Location: Georgia

July 31, 2016 · NWS TAE · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Scattered afternoon thunderstorms developed in an environment of high instability favorable for microbursts.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $4,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TAE wrote it up.

Scattered afternoon thunderstorms developed in an environment of high instability favorable for microbursts.

What forecasters said that day

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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 12:37 PM EST, 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 12:37 PM EST, 39 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
137 PM EDT SUN JUL 31 2016

.AVIATION [Through 18Z Monday]...

Thunderstorms directly affecting terminals may cause gusty,
variable winds and a reduction in visibility to IFR levels, but
otherwise VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the
period. Winds will be mostly below 10 knots and from the
southwest.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION [1156 AM EDT]...

.NEAR TERM [Through Today]...

High pressure persists over the northern Gulf coast with an upper
level shortwave trough over the Great Lakes. The 12Z TAE sounding
showed light southwest flow in the 1000-700 mb layer, 2000 J/kg
SBCAPE, and PW approaching 2". Light southwest flow generally
means about 50-60% chances for showers and thunderstorms across
north Florida and 30-40% chances in southeast Alabama and
southwest Georgia. With the plentiful moisture in place and some
enhancement of upper level divergence to our north, however,
chances today will be slightly high than normal- about 40-50% in
southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia. Overall, we expect an
active day for showers and thunderstorms across the area with
highs in the low to mid 90s and apparent temperatures peaking in
the 101-106 range again.

.SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Tuesday]...
A warm and moist atmosphere will be in place across the region
through Tuesday, with typical summertime weather expected.
Afternoon temperatures in the mid 90s will combine with the
seabreeze to generated scattered thunderstorms, with PoPs near
climo for early August.

.LONG TERM [Tuesday Night Through Sunday]...
Typical summertime conditions will prevail through much of the
week as synoptic scale forcing remains minimal, leaving the
seabreeze as the primary driver for afternoon convection. Expect
PoPs near climo through Thursday, with potentially higher coverage
later in the week as the subtropical ridge axis shifts a bit north
and allows for deeper onshore flow into the region. Temperatures
will continue to be warm with highs in the mid 90s and lows in the
mid 70s.

.MARINE...
Light onshore winds will continue through much of the week,
enhanced slightly by the seabreeze near the coast each afternoon.

.FIRE WEATHER...
With RH values above critical thresholds, hazardous fire weather
conditions are not expected for the next several days.

.HYDROLOGY...
No widespread flooding issues are expected through this period.
With deep layer moisture and slow movement of scattered
thunderstorms each afternoon and early evening, localized areas
of minor flooding cannot be ruled out.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

Tallahassee   75  93  75  94  76 /  10  30  20  40  30
Panama City   80  89  79  89  79 /  20  30  10  30  20
Dothan        74  91  74  92  74 /  30  50  30  40  10
Albany        75  93  74  93  75 /  30  50  40  30  20
Valdosta      75  93  73  94  74 /  30  40  30  40  30
Cross City    75  93  74  94  75 /  20  30  20  30  20
Apalachicola  78  89  78  90  78 /  10  30  10  20  20

&&

.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

FL...None.
GA...None.
AL...None.
GM...None.

&&

NEAR TERM...Moore
SHORT TERM...Camp
LONG TERM...Camp
AVIATION...Moore
MARINE...Camp
FIRE WEATHER...DVD
HYDROLOGY...Camp

The radar

The Ft Rucker radar (KEOX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When: July 31, 1:16 PM EST
Where: Randolph County, 1.14 mi E of Martins Crossroads
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 31.692, -84.611

A tree was blown down on Highway 41 South.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dougherty

When: July 31, 2:15 PM EST
Where: Dougherty County, Putney
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 31.480, -84.100

A tree was blown resulting in a power outage in Putney.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dougherty

When: July 31, 2:20 PM EST
Where: Dougherty County, 2.4 mi SE of Turner City
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 31.561, -84.077

A tree was blown down on Johnson Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mitchell

When: July 31, 2:25 PM EST
Where: Mitchell County, 4.1 mi ENE of Baconton
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 31.400, -84.100

A tree was blown down resulting in a power outage.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Georgia in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in Georgia, July 2016

Sources

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: 640860, 640862, 640864, 640861.