A well-developed storm system moving across the Midwest and northern Tennessee Valley regions brought scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to north and central Georgia from the afternoon of the 8th into the early morning hours of the 9th. SPC had much of the area in a SLIGHT risk for severe weather with an ENHANCED risk for severe weather just to our north and west, across nearly all of…
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 well-developed storm system moving across the Midwest and northern Tennessee Valley regions brought scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to north and central Georgia from the afternoon of the 8th into the early morning hours of the 9th. SPC had much of the area in a SLIGHT risk for severe weather with an ENHANCED risk for severe weather just to our north and west, across nearly all of Tennessee, Kentucky, eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and southern Indiana.
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 Apr 8, 2:21 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 321 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 .SHORT TERM /Tonight through Thursday Night/... Active and pretty complex fcst on tap for the rest of today through tonight and into Thursday morning as what looks to be two rounds of strong to severe storms. The first of which is mainly influenced by a weak upper wave interacting with a moderately unstable airmass (many areas across the southern half of the CWA even with dewpoints currently in the mid to upper 60s and SBCAPE ranging from 2000-2500 J/kg). Any breaks in the stratocu could rapidly destabilize. CAMs are in general consensus of the first area of stronger convection initiating after 20z just south/west of the Atlanta Metro and then advecting southward through central GA before exiting by 03z this evening. Thermal profiles indicating some steep low/mid level lapse rates along with decent deep layer bulk shear so main threats with stronger storms look to be damaging wind and large hail. Cannot rule out a brief tornado. The second round looks to be overnight with a more amplified upper shortwave and attendant sfc cold front bringing a ling of strong to severe storms quickly into the northern CWA after 06z, then making it into central GA by 10/11z as it weakens being quickly separated from the upper forcing/moisture. Given some stronger low level helicity along with continued strong deep layer shear, the main threats with this round will be damaging winds and possible brief tornadoes. As if this isn't enough going on, the enhanced NW gradient winds behind the front look to reach Wind Advisory criteria Thursday so have issued one accordingly across the northern majority of the CWA from 12z Thursday to 00z Friday. Baker && .LONG TERM /Friday through Wednesday/... No significant changes have been to the long term. Models have come more in line overall...but still struggle some with the late weekend short wave. The long term begins dry on Friday. If drying takes place as forecast...relative humidity values could drop into the mid 20s Friday afternoon. Depending on fuels and timing...this could be a potential Fire Danger Day. The next significant short wave will be tracking across the southwest states late Saturday into Sunday...then moving northeast over the OH Valley on Monday. This looks like a stronger system as we return to a moist southwest flow ahead of it. With increasing shear...instability...and high dew points...Severe thunderstorms are a possibility late Saturday night into Sunday night. QPF totals for the Saturday night through Monday period could be two to three inches over much of the area...locally higher. GFS and ECMWF push this short wave east of us during the day Monday. Afterward it looks like another weaker short wave will affect us for Tuesday and Wednesday. Low pops have been continued into Wednesday. 41 && .AVIATION... 18Z UPDATE... Current lingering high end MVFR stratocu deck lingering across most sites, which could have some slight improvement this afternoon. Scattered showers and possible strong to severe TS this afternoon - greatest TS chance for southern sites but enough of a chance farther north to include tempo for KATL and nearby sites as well (in 20-24z time frame). Expecting return of MVFR cigs overnight (possible IFR) along with a second round of potential strong to severe storms coming in as a line from the north. Best estimate is 09-11z for northern sites then weakening as is quickly pushes across southern sites from 10-12z. Winds mainly west near 10 kts (some slight decreases overnight) then shifting NW 12-18 kts gusting 20-27 kts for Thursday behind front. //ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE... Medium on overall shower/storm coverage/timing. Medium on morning cig trends. High on all else. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 63 79 48 65 / 60 10 5 5 Atlanta 64 75 48 62 / 60 10 5 0 Blairsville 57 65 38 55 / 60 10 5 0 Cartersville 62 73 44 61 / 60 10 5 0 Columbus 67 82 54 69 / 60 30 10 5 Gainesville 63 73 46 61 / 60 10 5 0 Macon 65 83 52 68 / 60 30 10 5 Rome 62 72 44 61 / 60 10 5 0 Peachtree City 64 78 48 64 / 60 20 10 5 Vidalia 68 86 56 71 / 60 30 10 5 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 8 AM to 8 PM EDT Thursday for the following zones: Baldwin...Banks...Barrow...Bartow...Butts...Carroll... Catoosa...Chattooga...Cherokee...Clarke...Clayton...Cobb... Coweta...Dade...Dawson...DeKalb...Douglas...Fannin...Fayette... Floyd...Forsyth...Gilmer...Glascock...Gordon...Greene... Gwinnett...Hall...Hancock...Haralson...Heard...Henry...Jackson... Jasper...Jefferson...Jones...Lumpkin...Madison...Morgan... Murray...Newton...North Fulton...Oconee...Oglethorpe... Paulding...Pickens...Polk...Putnam...Rockdale...South Fulton... Spalding...Taliaferro...Towns...Union...Walker...Walton... Warren...Washington...White...Whitfield...Wilkes...Wilkinson. && SHORT TERM...Baker LONG TERM....41 AVIATION...Baker
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 1203 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-091615- 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- 1203 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight... A Slight Risk for Severe Thunderstorms will be possible for two rounds of thunderstorms this afternoon and overnight. This afternoon scattered thunderstorms are expected with the greatest coverage in the southwestern forecast area. With sufficient instability and wind shear, damaging wind gusts and large hail may be possible. Tornadoes are not likely, but if storms become organized an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. Overnight tonight in the early morning hours, a line of storms will be possible moving into northern Georgia after 3 AM. This line will have the potential to produce strong straight-line winds and a weak and short-lived tornado or two. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday... Early Thursday will see a decaying line of storms in northern Georgia with a diminishing threat for strong straight-line winds and a weak, spin-up tornado or two. The threat for any severe weather is expected to end by mid-morning. A stronger storm system is expected across the forecast area on Sunday and Sunday night. Severe thunderstorms may be possible with this system, as well as a risk of flash flooding with two to three and a half inches of rain forecast over a thirty-six hour period, and locally higher amounts possible. .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. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the NWS while following all local, state, and CDC guidelines.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
330 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
GAZ104-082000-
Sumter GA-
330 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN SUMTER COUNTY UNTIL 400
PM EDT...
At 329 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Croxton Crossroads, or
9 miles southwest of Americus...moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Up to 40 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
Plains, Leslie, De Soto, Desoto, Cobb, Sumter, Maddox and Croxton
Crossroads.
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 3196 8444 3198 8444 3203 8439 3196 8393
3193 8392 3191 8392 3192 8434 3187 8434
TIME...MOT...LOC 1929Z 283DEG 31KT 3195 8430
HAIL...0.25IN
WIND...40MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
352 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
GAZ106-108-082015-
Crisp GA-Wilcox GA-
352 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN CRISP AND SOUTHWESTERN
WILCOX COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM EDT...
At 352 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Raines, or near
Cordele...moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Up to 40 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
Cordele, Arabi, Fort Early, Wenona, Raines and Hatley.
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 3181 8383 3183 8384 3182 8385 3184 8386
3185 8394 3186 8393 3188 8393 3192 8392
3194 8393 3195 8387 3192 8354 3185 8357
3185 8361 3180 8361 3180 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 1952Z 281DEG 30KT 3190 8387
HAIL...0.25IN
WIND...40MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
417 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
GAZ106-082045-
Crisp GA-
417 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN CRISP COUNTY UNTIL 445
PM EDT...
At 417 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was near Arabi, or 8 miles
south of Cordele...moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Up to 40 mph wind...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
Arabi and Raines.
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 3181 8382 3181 8383 3183 8384 3182 8385
3184 8386 3184 8389 3190 8386 3186 8361
3181 8361 3180 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 2017Z 289DEG 18KT 3184 8380
WIND...40MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
456 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
GAZ078-089-082130-
Harris GA-Muscogee GA-
456 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN HARRIS AND NORTHERN
MUSCOGEE COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM EDT...
At 456 PM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Mountain Hill, or 9
miles northeast of Smiths...moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Up to 40 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
Hamilton, Waverly Hall, Upatoi, Goat Rock Lake, Ellerslie, Flat Rock,
Midland, Mountain Hill, Cataula, Fortson and Mulberry Grove.
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 3272 8507 3279 8498 3274 8469 3272 8468
3272 8469 3269 8470 3269 8469 3252 8469
3251 8472 3249 8473 3257 8506 3258 8507
3262 8509 3263 8508 3264 8510
TIME...MOT...LOC 2056Z 280DEG 25KT 3267 8501
HAIL...0.25IN
WIND...40MPHThe Atlanta radar (KFFC), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:16 UTC.
28 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Tree reported down near the intersection of Alabama Road and GA Hwy 85.
Three-quarter inch hail was reported in the Ellerslie Place subdivision.
One tree was reported down on Hoke Smith Avenue in Ideal.
Measured wind gust of 55 mph at Ft Benning AWOS.
Numerous trees and powerlines reported down in and around Ft. Benning. Trees also fell on 2 structures and 2 vehicles. One structure had a roof blown off.
Trees down along GA Hwy 329 near the Dooly county line. Time estimated from radar.
Tree reported down near the intersection of Hill Farm Road and Hwy 126.
Tree down on a home near Coward Farms on Hwy 56.
Emergency Management confirmed reports of numerous, 50 to 100, trees down mainly along Hwy 147 near US Hwy 1. Trees blocked a large section of Hwy 147 which also happens to be main evacuation route for Plant Hatch.
Tree down on a home along Clifford Rogers Road.
Several trees and powerlines down in the vicinity of Hwy 178 and 56.
Several trees and powerlines down in the Morganton and Mineral Bluff areas.
Several trees and powerlines down in the McCaysville, Epworth and Blue Ridge areas.
Tree down on a house in the 300 block of No. 20 Mine road in McCaysville.
Tree reported down on a house in the 400 block of Chestnut Road in McCaysville.
Damage reported to Fire Station #2 with several pieces of metal roofing blown off into the adjacent parking lot.
Public weather station reported sustained 40 mph winds with a peak gust to 56 mph.
Report of a tree down on a house on Kraftsman Road.
Report of a tree down on a house on Smith Road NE in Rome.
Nickel-sized hail observed near Rome high school.
Large tree down on Magnolia Street in Roswell. Also brought down some powerlines.
Multiple reports of trees down around Buchanan. Time estimated from radar.
Two trees reported down near the intersection of Poseyville Road and Heritage Lane.
Multiple trees down near the intersection of Mood Road and Frances White Road.
Large tree down on a home near the intersection of Brookside Way and Brookside Drive.
Large tree down in the 1000 block of Dallas Road in Villa Rica.
A large tree came down on a house in the 600 block of McCurdy Road.
Two trees were reported down on a home in the 100 block of Brookside Way.
Tree down at Andy Mountain Road and Hwy 78.
Large tree down near Rose Ave and Selman Drive in Douglasville.
Quarter-sized hail reported around Juliette.
Penny-sized hail reported 1 mile east of Wrightsville on Hwy 319.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, April 2020
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: 891928, 891924, 891930, 891969, 891931, 891934, 891936, 891939, 891942, 891940, 891941, 891945, 891947, 891948, 891949, 891951, 891970, 891953, 891954, 891925, 891955, 891958, 891957, 891959, 891960, 891962, 891963, 891965, 891967, 891968, 891926, 891927.