Flow around high pressure off the southeast coast was pulling abnormally high moisture into the northern Gulf of Mexico states from Subtopical Storm Alberto off the Yucatan Peninsula. Storms triggering off a boundary in northwest Georgia continued to redevelop over the same area, producing high rainfall amounts.
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The episode as NWS FFC wrote it up.
Flow around high pressure off the southeast coast was pulling abnormally high moisture into the northern Gulf of Mexico states from Subtopical Storm Alberto off the Yucatan Peninsula. Storms triggering off a boundary in northwest Georgia continued to redevelop over the same area, producing high rainfall amounts. Radar estimates indicate that rainfall amounts were generally 3 to 5 inches, occurring in the late evening on May 25 and lasting through the morning of May 26.
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 May 26, 12:21 AM EST, 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 121 AM EDT Sat May 26 2018 .UPDATE FOR AVIATION...CORRECTED... PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 105 AM EDT Sat May 26 2018/ UPDATE FOR AVIATION... PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 1020 PM EDT Fri May 25 2018/ UPDATE... Convection has been redeveloping over western GA over the last 1 to 2 hours. Latest hi-res models indicate this will continue through 08Z, lifting northward and dissipating afterwards. Have increased pops to likely over western GA for the next several hours. Due to the redevelopment, will maintain the current Flash Flood Watch. No other changes planned. PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 349 PM EDT Fri May 25 2018/ SHORT TERM /Tonight through Saturday Night/... With Subtropical Storm Alberto off the Yucatan Peninsula and high pressure off the southeast coast, this has allowed abnormally high moisture flux to increase across the southeast. Therefore we have widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms continuing across east central GA this afternoon. This activity will continue through early evening, eventually diminishing while it lifts north with some precipitation (likely in the form of showers) moving into the metro. The coverage will be limited, but a better chance for the metro to see precipitation, especially between 20Z and 04Z. Activity should diminish later tonight. Patchy fog is possible during the morning hours. With the mid-level ridge trying to build in a bit across SE GA, this will likely limit the coverage of showers/thunderstorms tomorrow. However, looking aloft, best vorticity will be across north GA. Therefore, we expect this area to be the axis by which we see better coverage of showers/thunderstorms, likely later afternoon/evening Saturday. This activity should diminish after midnight Sunday. The main impact with any showers/thunderstorms will be heavy rain. Expect high rainfall rates given the high PWATs and efficient saturation in the atmospheric column. Minor flooding could occur quickly with these heavy downpours. Precipitation totals through the short-term will be around a half an inch areawide with locally higher amounts possible associated with those heavier showers/storms. Temperatures will be slightly below normal. 26 LONG TERM /Sunday through Friday/... The main concerns through the long term period will centered around precipitation from what is now Subtropical Storm Alberto, as of the 11 AM EST update from NHC. As of the most recent forecast package, NHC has Alberto reaching land sometime on Monday near the AL/MS border. Models start to diverge after reaching land, but the overall trend in the models is a generally east track towards our area. The GFS brings Alberto through our northwest corner late Wednesday, while ECMWF keeps Alberto further north and west of our area completely. Regardless of the model differences and the exact track/intensity of Subtropical Storm Alberto, heavy rain will be a continued threat in our area through the long term period as PWATs rise to 1.5 to 2+ inches. For our area, Alberto will bring heavy rainfall and the potential for flooding. Although winds should not be a major issue with Alberto, with already wet soils it will be relatively easy for trees to fall. Current QPF associated with Alberto is about 3-6 inches with locally higher amounts possible, especially in northeast GA and east central GA. Flash flooding will also become a problem as well as river flooding. With the above-normal rainfall that most areas have seen over the past few days, soils are already saturated and additional precip would be expected to cause problems. Make sure to be aware of any forecast changes/watches/warnings, as well as updates from NHC, as there is still uncertainty within the track of Alberto. The need for any flood-related watches will continue to be monitored. Decided to go with a blend for precip for most of the long term as models diverge shortly after Alberto reaches land. Regardless, chances for showers and thunderstorms exist daily and any day could see a strong thunderstorm. High temps through the long term are generally in the upper 70s and 80s, with low temps in the 60s and 70s. Reaves && .AVIATION... 06Z Update... Highly variable aviation conditions expected to continue with widely varying ceilings but some amount of IFR ceilings expected this morning then improving to VFR. Some vsby restrictions due to mainly showers(Isolated thunderstorms) and possibly some fog. Surface winds light and variable or light SSE becoming SSW less than 10 kts Saturday daytime. Another flare up of showers and storms can be expected on Saturday and favoring the afternoon hours. //ATL Confidence...06Z Update...Corrected... Low confidence for wind direction. Low to Medium confidence for ceilings and weather. Medium to high confidence for vsbys and wind speeds. BDL && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 84 67 80 66 / 40 40 60 60 Atlanta 83 69 78 68 / 50 40 60 60 Blairsville 78 63 77 62 / 60 60 60 60 Cartersville 83 67 80 65 / 60 50 60 60 Columbus 85 69 80 71 / 50 40 70 70 Gainesville 81 67 78 65 / 60 50 60 60 Macon 84 68 80 70 / 50 40 70 60 Rome 84 67 82 66 / 60 50 60 60 Peachtree City 84 67 79 67 / 50 40 60 60 Vidalia 86 70 81 71 / 40 40 70 60 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch until 8 AM EDT this morning for the following zones: Baldwin...Banks...Barrow...Bibb...Bleckley...Butts... Carroll...Chattahoochee...Cherokee...Clarke...Clayton...Cobb... Coweta...Crawford...Crisp...Dawson...DeKalb...Dodge...Dooly... Douglas...Emanuel...Fayette...Forsyth...Glascock...Greene... Gwinnett...Hall...Hancock...Harris...Heard...Henry...Houston... Jackson...Jasper...Jefferson...Johnson...Jones...Lamar... Laurens...Lumpkin...Macon...Madison...Marion...Meriwether... Monroe...Montgomery...Morgan...Muscogee...Newton...North Fulton...Oconee...Oglethorpe...Paulding...Peach...Pickens... Pike...Pulaski...Putnam...Rockdale...Schley...South Fulton... Spalding...Stewart...Sumter...Talbot...Taliaferro...Taylor... Telfair...Toombs...Treutlen...Troup...Twiggs...Upson...Walton... Warren...Washington...Webster...Wheeler...White...Wilcox... Wilkes...Wilkinson. && SHORT TERM...BDL LONG TERM....20 AVIATION...BDL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 924 PM EDT Fri May 25 2018 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-270130- 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- 924 PM EDT Fri May 25 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...Tonight... Scattered showers along with isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible overnight. The main hazards will be heavy rainfall that could cause localized flooding. A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect for central Georgia and portions of north Georgia through Saturday morning. In addition, a few strong thunderstorms are possible with gusty winds and frequent lightning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday... Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms can be expected across the area each day through Thursday. The primary hazard will be heavy rainfall from Subtropical Storm Alberto that could cause localized flooding as well as river flooding. On any given day, a few strong thunderstorms will be possible with the main hazards being gusty winds and frequent lightning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time, but spotters are encouraged to submit reports of any severe or significant weather and flooding.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
800 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
GAZ074-076-260045-
Jefferson GA-Washington GA-
800 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN JEFFERSON AND
SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTIES UNTIL 845 PM EDT...
At 759 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was near Bartow, or 9 miles
southwest of Louisville...moving north at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Heavy rain.
IMPACT...Heavy rain may cause temporary street flooding especially
in poor drainage areas. Trees can down more easily with
wet soil.
Some locations in the path of this storm include
Louisville and Bartow.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Motorists should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of
control due to hydroplaning.
LAT...LON 3280 8250 3282 8252 3282 8256 3281 8259
3281 8264 3306 8253 3301 8238
TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 193DEG 12KT 3290 8253Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1019 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
GAZ020-031-260245-
Bartow GA-Paulding GA-
1019 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN BARTOW AND NORTHEASTERN
PAULDING COUNTIES UNTIL 1045 PM EDT...
At 1018 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Burnt Hickory Ridge,
or 7 miles south of Cartersville...moving north at 10 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind...pea sized hail and frequent cloud to
ground lightning.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light...unsecured objects.
Some locations in the path of this storm include
Cartersville, Euharlee, Emerson, Kingston, Cassville, Cross Roads,
Burnt Hickory Ridge, Stilesboro and Red Top Mountain State Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder...you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
LAT...LON 3424 8496 3427 8482 3422 8467 3408 8473
3407 8473 3399 8475 3398 8493 3405 8494
3408 8492 3408 8494
TIME...MOT...LOC 0218Z 181DEG 7KT 3407 8484
HAIL...0.25IN
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1049 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
GAZ020-030-031-260315-
Polk GA-Bartow GA-Paulding GA-
1049 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN POLK...SOUTHWESTERN
BARTOW AND NORTHEASTERN PAULDING COUNTIES UNTIL 1115 PM EDT...
At 1049 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Stilesboro, or 8
miles southwest of Cartersville. This storm was nearly stationary.
HAZARD...40 mph wind and heavy rain.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light...unsecured objects. Heavy rain may cause temporary
street flooding especially in poor drainage areas.
Some locations in the path of this storm include
Cartersville, Euharlee, Kingston, Braswell, Taylorsville, Cassville,
Burnt Hickory Ridge and Stilesboro.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. Motorists should
slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.
LAT...LON 3421 8505 3421 8502 3424 8502 3431 8484
3404 8475 3398 8494 3410 8505
TIME...MOT...LOC 0249Z 154DEG 3KT 3407 8489
WIND...40MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1113 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
GAZ011-019-020-030-031-260400-
Chattooga GA-Polk GA-Bartow GA-Paulding GA-Floyd GA-
1113 PM EDT FRI MAY 25 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHATTOOGA...NORTHEASTERN POLK...
SOUTHWESTERN BARTOW...NORTHERN PAULDING AND FLOYD COUNTIES UNTIL
midnight EDT...
At 1113 PM EDT...a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from near James H. Floyd State Park to Burnt Hickory Ridge.
These storms were nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Frequent cloud to ground lightning and heavy rain.
IMPACT...Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. If you can
hear thunder...you are close enough to be struck by
lightning. Heavy rain may cause temporary street flooding
especially in poor drainage areas.
Some locations in the path of these storms include
Rome, Cartersville, Summerville, Euharlee, Emerson, Kingston,
Taylorsville, Cassville, Shannon, Lyerly, Pinson, Burnt Hickory
Ridge, Lindale, Red Top Mountain State Park, Tidings, Armuchee,
Coosa, Stilesboro, Berryton and Chattoogaville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. Electrical
appliances should not be used unless in an emergency. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.
LAT...LON 3453 8521 3446 8511 3443 8509 3441 8510
3439 8501 3415 8466 3398 8487 3404 8498
3412 8522 3432 8547 3444 8549
TIME...MOT...LOC 0313Z 126DEG 1KT 3441 8533 3403 8488The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:58 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency Manager reported road closures due to high water on Highway 20 West/Shorter Avenue, near the intersection with Burnett Ferry Road, and on Garden Lakes Parkway. Roads were later reopened. Radar estimates indicate 3 to 4 inches occurred in the warned area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2018
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: 762149.