During the evening of March 24th a strong, localized, surface pressure gradient developed across portions of north Georgia between a meso-scale surface low and a corresponding meso-scale high in the wake of a dying squall line. Wind gusts of 40-60 MPH and scattered incidents of wind damage occurred across the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
During the evening of March 24th a strong, localized, surface pressure gradient developed across portions of north Georgia between a meso-scale surface low and a corresponding meso-scale high in the wake of a dying squall line. Wind gusts of 40-60 MPH and scattered incidents of wind damage occurred across the Atlanta metropolitan area.
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 Mar 24, 3:27 PM EST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 427 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY CROSSING INTO WESTERN AL. OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT...A LINE OF SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED AND CONTINUES TO TRACK EASTWARD. CURRENTLY...THE HRRR IS THE ONLY HI-RES MODEL THAT HAS A DECENT HANDLE ON THE CONVECTION. THE COVERAGE/STRENGTH OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS DECREASED WITH SUBSEQUENT RUNS THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE AS THE LATEST MESOANALYSIS HAS THE HIGHEST INSTABILITY ALONG THE GULF COAST INTO SOUTHERN AL. NOT TOO CONFIDENT ON THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MAIN MID LEVEL FORCING REMAINS WELL TO THE NORTH...WHILE ALL OF THE INSTABILITY IS ACROSS THE SOUTH. THINK STRONG STORMS CONTINUE POSSIBLE...WITH AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM POSSIBLE. THE PRIMARY MODE OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. IF THE ACTIVITY DOWN SOUTH CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN AND CREEP NORTHWARD...THE BEST CHANCES OF STRONG/ISOLD SEVERE WOULD BE DOWN TO THE SOUTH LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. STILL NOT RULING OUT A FEW STRONG STORMS...WITH AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...BUT IT WILL BE A STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING. WITH THE MID LEVEL LOW/SHORTWAVE SHUNTING TO THE NORTHEAST AND WEAKENING...THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SLOW ITS SOUTHWARD PROGRESS TONIGHT. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL GA SOMETIME AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE TO LINGER THROUGH TOMORROW AND TOMORROW NIGHT. SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE VICINITY OF THIS FEATURE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. LESS COVERAGE IS EXPECTED DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING/SURFACE INSTABILITY. NLISTEMAA .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS REMAIN IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT AND SHOW LITTLE CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS LONG TERM FORECAST TRENDS. MINIMAL CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE EXTENDED FORECAST GRIDS WITH THIS CYCLE...PLEASE SEE THE PREVIOUS LONG TERM FORECAST FORECAST DISCUSSION BELOW. 20 LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... /ISSUED AT 418 AM EDT THU MAR 24 2016/ WHILE SHORT TERM FROPA SLOWS AND SETTLES NEAR THE FAR SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...WE STAY IN SW FLOW ALOFT AND ONLY A BRIEF PERIOD WITH QUIET CONDITIONS AS SFC RIDGE RESULTS IN A RATHER WEAK HYBRID CAD WEDGE. STALLED BOUNDARY/WEDGE FRONT PROGGED TO LIFT NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY AS GULF MOISTURE OVERRUNNING AND ISENTROPIC FORCING BRINGS WIDESPREAD SHOWER CHANCES AND TREND OF THUNDER CHANCES NORTHWARD. MODELS NOW IN BETTER CONSENSUS WITH FCST EVOLUTION OF DEVELOPING LOW TO TRACK ACROSS THE TN VALLEY SUNDAY NIGHT THEN PUSH THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT SOUTHEASTWARD FOR MONDAY. AS WITH THE LAST SEVERAL SYSTEMS...WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR UPSTREAM GULF CONVECTION POTENTIALLY ROBBING US OF MOISTURE TRANSPORT BUT FOR NOW LOOKS LIKE A GOOD BET FOR LIKELY POPS IN THE SUNDAY TO SUNDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME. BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDER LOOKS TO BE SUNDAY AFTERNOON GIVEN FCST CAPE...THOUGH BETTER SHEAR ENVIRONMENT LOOKS TO BE WITH FROPA LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. DIFFICULT TO SAY WHICH TIME WOULD BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF STRONGER CONVECTION AT THE MOMENT SO WILL KEEP MONITORING OF TRENDS. OTHERWISE THIS SECOND SYSTEM IS FOLLOWED BY A STRONGER RIDGE SO NO WORRIES OF A LINGERING BOUNDARY TO THE SOUTH FOR TUES/WED AND SHOULD BE DRY AND PLEASANT. ACTIVE LONGWAVE PATTERN CONTINUES THOUGH FOR END OF FCST PERIOD WITH MOISTURE ADVECTION AHEAD OF THE NEXT FRONTAL SYSTEM STARTING TO INFLUENCE THE AREA WED NIGHT INTO THURS...STARTED CHANCE POPS TREND ACCORDINGLY. DESPITE THE ACTIVE PERIOD...TEMPS FOR THE MOST PART STAY SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THROUGHOUT. SATURDAY IS WARMEST PERIOD WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 70S ACROSS MAJORITY OF AREA...AND MONDAY NIGHT IS COOLEST BEHIND AFOREMENTIONED FROPA WITH LOWS IN LOW TO MID 40S BUT STILL NOT LOW ENOUGH TO RAISE FROST/FREEZE CONCERNS. BAKER && .AVIATION... 18Z UPDATE... ACTIVE RADAR JUST TO THE WEST. THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS WILL BE DOMINATED BY THE LINES OF CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH A FRONTAL PASSAGE. THE HI-RES MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH TIMING...WITH THE FIRST LINE COMING THROUGH IN THE EARLY EVENING AND THE SECOND OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER...AM CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL ACTUALLY OCCUR WITH THE CURRENT RADAR PRESENTATION. WINDS WILL REMAIN ON THE WEST SIDE. ALSO...AFTER ANY PRECIP IFR CLOUDS ARE LIKELY...BREAKING OUT BY MID MORNING TOMORROW. //ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE... LOW TO MED CONFIDENCE ON CONVECTION. MED CONFIDENCE REMAINING ELEMENTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 58 74 49 76 / 90 30 10 10 ATLANTA 55 69 50 74 / 100 20 10 10 BLAIRSVILLE 50 66 42 70 / 100 20 10 10 CARTERSVILLE 51 68 42 73 / 100 20 10 5 COLUMBUS 59 73 53 77 / 100 30 30 20 GAINESVILLE 54 70 48 71 / 100 20 10 10 MACON 63 74 53 76 / 80 40 30 20 ROME 49 67 41 73 / 100 10 10 5 PEACHTREE CITY 56 70 45 75 / 100 20 20 10 VIDALIA 66 76 61 75 / 50 50 30 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...NLISTEMAA LONG TERM....20 AVIATION...NLISTEMAA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 535 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-251100- 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- 535 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. SOME STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE THIS EVENING ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT WITH THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED ACROSS NORTH AND PARTS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA. THESE WILL CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT...ENDING FROM THE NORTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. A FEW STORMS ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA COULD BE SEVERE WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THE AREA OF CONCERN IS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO MACON TO LOUISVILLE...AND GENERALLY THROUGH 10 PM TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL BRING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
545 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
GAZ102-242230-
STEWART GA-
545 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN STEWART COUNTY UNTIL
630 PM EDT...
AT 545 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER EUFAULA...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
HAZARD...40 TO 50 MPH WIND...PEA SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING.
IMPACT...PEOPLE OUTDOORS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. EXPECT
MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES SHOULD
NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE
LUMPKIN...OMAHA...SANFORD...PROVIDENCE CANYON STATE PARK...WESTVILLE AND
TROUTMAN.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. CONTINUE TO MONITOR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...WEATHER.GOV OR ORTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3193 8480 3192 8481 3192 8491 3195 8496
3198 8496 3198 8501 3197 8504 3199 8504
3199 8506 3209 8504 3213 8506 3218 8501
3220 8497 3221 8498 3222 8498 3196 8465
3192 8466 3192 8477
TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 220DEG 28KT 3192 8516
16SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
604 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
GAZ102-103-242245-
WEBSTER GA-STEWART GA-
604 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEBSTER AND EASTERN STEWART
COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM EDT...
AT 603 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
LUMPKIN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
HAZARD...40 TO 50 MPH WIND...PEA SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING.
IMPACT...PEOPLE OUTDOORS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. EXPECT
MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES SHOULD
NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE
LUMPKIN...PRESTON...RICHLAND...WESTON...SEMINOLE...BROOKLYN...CHARLES...
CHURCH HILL...LOUVALE...WESTVILLE...KIMBROUGH...CENTERPOINT...LEVERETTS...
DUMAS AND CHAMBLISS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. CONTINUE TO MONITOR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...WEATHER.GOV OR ORTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3192 8466 3219 8497 3221 8497 3222 8493
3223 8492 3223 8482 3222 8481 3223 8480
3223 8462 3219 8459 3219 8457 3218 8456
3217 8454 3213 8453 3213 8446 3210 8443
3193 8444 3192 8447
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 225DEG 37KT 3192 8486
16SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
626 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
GAZ092-104-242315-
SUMTER GA-SCHLEY GA-
626 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SUMTER AND SOUTHEASTERN SCHLEY
COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM EDT...
AT 625 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR DAWSON...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
HAZARD...40 TO 50 MPH WIND...PEA SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING.
IMPACT...PEOPLE OUTDOORS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. EXPECT
MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES SHOULD
NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE
AMERICUS...PLAINS...LESLIE...ANDERSONVILLE...DE SOTO...DESOTO...COBB...
SUMTER...LAMAR...CROXTON CROSSROADS...NEW ERA...HUNTINGTON...LA CROSSE...
FRIENDSHIP...BUMPHEAD...METHVINS...MADDOX AND PENNINGTON.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. CONTINUE TO MONITOR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...WEATHER.GOV OR ORTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3197 8444 3215 8442 3223 8420 3223 8414
3219 8413 3219 8409 3217 8403 3215 8403
3212 8401 3209 8398 3207 8399 3205 8398
3205 8397 3202 8395 3191 8392 3192 8434
3187 8434
TIME...MOT...LOC 2225Z 234DEG 42KT 3185 8446
16SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 711 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016 GAZ033-034-044>046-054-055-057-250100- NORTH FULTON-GWINNETT-SOUTH FULTON-DEKALB-ROCKDALE-FAYETTE- CLAYTON-HENRY- 711 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016 ...STRONG GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA... SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THESE WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH BY AROUND 9 PM THIS EVENING. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF LIGHT AND UNSECURED OBJECTS IS POSSIBLE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
717 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
GAZ105-106-250000-
CRISP GA-DOOLY GA-
717 PM EDT THU MAR 24 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CRISP AND DOOLY COUNTIES UNTIL
800 PM EDT...
AT 716 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 7 MILES EAST OF DESOTO...OR
9 MILES WEST OF CORDELE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
HAZARD...35 TO 45 MPH WIND...PEA SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING.
IMPACT...PEOPLE OUTDOORS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. EXPECT
MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES SHOULD
NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE
CORDELE...VIENNA...UNADILLA...ARABI...BYROMVILLE...PINEHURST...LILLY...
TREMONT...GEORGIA VETERANS MEMORIAL ST PK...RICHWOOD...HATLEY...WENONA...
DRAYTON...TIPPETTVILLE...EAST CRISP...FORT EARLY...FLINT RIVER WMA AND
RAINES.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. CONTINUE TO MONITOR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO...WEATHER.GOV OR ORTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3183 8384 3182 8385 3184 8386 3185 8394
3186 8393 3188 8393 3193 8392 3202 8395
3205 8398 3209 8398 3212 8401 3215 8403
3218 8403 3229 8364 3229 8361 3225 8362
3224 8361 3181 8361 3180 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 2316Z 249DEG 34KT 3192 8394
16The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind, 2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust of 50 MPH was received from a mesonet site in the Fairburn area.
The ASOS at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport reported a wind gust of 49 knots.
A report of power lines blown down at Virginia Avenue and Myrtle Street was received on social media.
The Georgia Institute of Technology Police Department reported a large tree blown down on the campus of the university.
A report of a tree blown down on power lines on Braeburn Circle was received on social media.
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, March 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: 620773, 620776, 620768, 620769, 620770.