Ample moisture and a moderately unstable atmosphere combined with very strong afternoon heating to produce scattered strong to severe thunderstorms each afternoon and evening across north and central Georgia. These storms produced quickly accumulating rainfall, producing localized flash flooding in eastern Georgia.
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.
Ample moisture and a moderately unstable atmosphere combined with very strong afternoon heating to produce scattered strong to severe thunderstorms each afternoon and evening across north and central Georgia. These storms produced quickly accumulating rainfall, producing localized flash flooding in eastern Georgia.
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 Aug 23, 1:47 PM EST, 53 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 247 PM EDT Fri Aug 23 2019 ...Afternoon Area Forecast Discussion... .SHORT TERM /Tonight through Saturday Night/... Weak frontal boundary continues to sag south across far northern GA this afternoon. The front will move slowly southward overnight, and should stall across central portions of the CWFA overnight or into tomorrow. In the mid levels, mostly zonal flow will allow several pieces of shortwave energy to move quickly east within the flow, interacting with the stalled boundary. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are anticipated for the next two days. Widespread severe weather is not anticipated, but a few stronger storms or an isolated severe storm will be possible. Gusty winds and frequent lightning will be possible with the stronger storms. In addition, PWATs of 2"+ with BL winds of less than 15kt will allow for slow moving heavy rainers. NListemaa .LONG TERM /Sunday through Friday/... To start the new week, a potential tropical low pressure system, currently Invest 98L with a 70% chance of development over the next 48 hours, will be making its way northward off the southeastern Atlantic coastline. At the same time, a strong surface high pressure will be over Maine/New Brunswick and moving eastward. The high to the NNE and the low to the ESE will form a pressure gradient with northeasterly winds against the lee side of the Appalachian Mnts, causing cold air damming and forcing a wedge front to push through most of the forecast area and replace the prepositioned stationary front. This will be our best chance of breaking our current streak of 28 days of temperatures at or above 70 for Atlanta, barring any strong outflows later today. This is the 13th longest streak of its kind on record going back to 1978. With the continuing fetch of warm moist air moving overhead from the Gulf. PWATs around and over 2" are expected through the beginning of next week. Combined with the extra forcing from the frontal boundary should create likely rain chances with scattered convective showers and thunderstorms until the front begins to lift on Tuesday. Afterwards, a mid-level trough will sweep across the southeastern CONUS, returning the forecast area to conditions we've known and 'loved' over the past several weeks. The southwesterly mid-level flow will continue to bring Gulf moisture into the region, continuing at least scattered showers and thunderstorms through at least Wednesday. High pressure is then expected to follow by Thursday and Friday with at least slight chances for showers and thunderstorms. It's currently unclear exactly how much drier air will filter into the forecast area with this next weather pattern as things diverge within the model guidance, however, as the time frame gets closer and other synoptic features come and go we should get a better feel if a break from the rains can be expected. Thiem && .AVIATION... 18Z Update... Greater cover of shra/tsra expected this afternoon. Activity could linger well into the evening hours. About the same coverage expected tomorrow afternoon. Winds will start out on the west side, but try and go to the NE around 14-15Z tomorrow. //ATL Confidence...18Z Update... Med confidence all elements. NListemaa && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 72 87 68 79 / 60 70 60 50 Atlanta 75 89 71 81 / 60 70 60 60 Blairsville 66 81 64 74 / 50 70 60 50 Cartersville 71 89 70 83 / 60 70 50 60 Columbus 75 90 74 87 / 60 60 60 80 Gainesville 72 85 67 79 / 60 70 60 50 Macon 74 91 72 85 / 50 60 60 70 Rome 71 89 70 84 / 50 70 50 70 Peachtree City 73 90 71 83 / 60 70 60 70 Vidalia 74 92 74 89 / 30 60 50 60 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...NListemaa LONG TERM....Thiem AVIATION...NListemaa
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 1151 AM EDT Fri Aug 23 2019 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-241600- 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- 1151 AM EDT Fri Aug 23 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight... Scattered thunderstorms are expected across much of north and central Georgia this afternoon into tonight. A few storms could be strong to severe with gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday... Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected across much of north and central Georgia through Thursday...mainly in the afternoons and evenings. A few storms could be strong to marginally severe with gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not requested but spotters are encouraged to submit reports of severe weather through the web by going to weather.gov/atlanta.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
156 PM EDT Fri Aug 23 2019
GAZ008-015-016-231845-
Union GA-White GA-Lumpkin GA-
156 PM EDT Fri Aug 23 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN UNION...WHITE AND
LUMPKIN COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM EDT...
At 155 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Porter Springs, or 7
miles north of Dahlonega...moving east at 10 mph.
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
Dahlonega, Cleveland, Helen, Suches, Unicoi State Park, Whitley Gap
Shelter, Robertstown, Mossy Creek, Camp Coleman Lake, Leaf, Smithgall
Woods Conservation Are, Porter Springs, Turners Corner, Sautee,
Gaddistown, Gooch Mountain Shelter and Qualatchee Lake.
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 3475 8364 3468 8364 3467 8365 3467 8364
3466 8366 3463 8365 3454 8365 3454 8411
3473 8409
TIME...MOT...LOC 1755Z 275DEG 8KT 3464 8394
WIND...40MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
306 PM EDT Fri Aug 23 2019
GAZ030-031-231945-
Polk GA-Paulding GA-
306 PM EDT Fri Aug 23 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN POLK AND PAULDING
COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM EDT...
At 305 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Yorkville, or 9 miles
west of Dallas...moving northeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind...up to penny sized hail...frequent
cloud to ground lightning 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
Dallas, Braswell and Yorkville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder...you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.
LAT...LON 3404 8492 3399 8481 3391 8480 3387 8504
3390 8504 3391 8507 3394 8510
TIME...MOT...LOC 1905Z 241DEG 8KT 3393 8501
HAIL...0.75IN
WIND...50MPHThe Atlanta radar (KFFC), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:38 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The Bartow County Emergency Manager reported trees and power lines blown down across the north side of Adairsville, including along Twin Bridges Road, Woody Road near Dixie Highway, and I-75 just north of exit 306.
Multiple trees down in a couple of locations southwest of Ringgold. Specifically near the intersection of Poplar Springs Road and Talley Circle, and several locations north of Mount Pisgah Road. Time estimated from radar.
The Gordon County 911 center reported a tree blown down at the intersection of Erwin Hill Road and Plainview Road.
The Gordon County Emergency Manager reported a structure fire caused by lightning near the intersection of Woody Road SW and Seabolt Road.
At least two areas where multiple trees were blown down on either side of the town of Tignall. Specifica locations include, near the intersection of Newton road and Jane Hill Road southwest of Tignall, and around Flatrock Road and Annie Blackmon Road.
The Oconee County Emergency Manager reported multiple trees blown down from around Mars Hill Road and Rocky Branch Road.
Multiple reports of trees and powerlines down from the northside of Athens to along US 78 and Timber Creek Drive. Time estimated from radar.
Multiple trees down near the intersection of Simonton Bridge Road and Castle Drive, northeast of Watkinsville. Time estimated from radar.
The Jefferson County Emergency Manager reported trees blown down along Highway 1 north of Wadley.
The Washington County Emergency Manager reported trees blown down near the intersection of Kittrell Creek Road and Maryview Road.
Law enforcement rescued stranded motorists on Wilson Road after heavy rains produced flash flooding. Radar estimates indicate that 2 to 3 inches of rainfall occurred over the area, overwhelming a small creek. The creek rose quickly out of its banks and flowed over the roadway.
The ASOS at Falcon Field in Peachtree City (KFFC) recorded a wind gust of 62 mph.
The Dodge County 911 center reported several trees blown down along New Bethel Church Road.
The public reported quarter size hail at the intersection of Pilgrim Mill Road and Still Road.
The public reported several trees blown down damaging a fence along Williams Circle.
The Pickens County Emergency Manager reported 2 large trees blown down across Fisher Creek Road near Jones Mountain Road.
The Heard County Emergency Manager reported several trees blown down in the community of Glenn.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2019
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: 849859, 849860, 849861, 849858, 849862, 849863, 849864, 854394, 849865, 849866, 854410, 849871, 849867, 849857, 849868, 849869, 849870.