Moderate instability and strong afternoon heating resulted in an isolated severe thunderstorm in central Georgia during the late afternoon.
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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.
Moderate instability and strong afternoon heating resulted in an isolated severe thunderstorm in central Georgia during the late afternoon.
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 Jul 12, 2:15 PM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 315 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020 .SHORT TERM /Rest of today through Monday Night/... Tricky near term fcst as the persistent MCS propagating southward across Alabama continues to stay just west of the CWA boundary and has primarily allowed the lofted mid/upper cloud shield to extend across north GA so far limiting diurnal destabilization. While this complex should follow along the tight instability axis still west of the area, the leading edge and outflow could aid its environment and end up pushing into western portions of central GA late this afternoon into evening. Also watching possible isolated convective development behind this system later this evening as the upper wave axis traverses the area mainly in the 00-06z period and holding onto some chance pops accordingly but uncertainty remains high. Any residual moisture from the MCS could end up advecting in some lower stratus or possible fog into parts of the western CWA for Monday morning with the light low level westerly fetch so will need to monitor evening trends as well. Monday looks less impactful as the enhanced moisture and aforementioned shortwave axis will allow some slight to chance pops more confined to southern and eastern portions of central GA, otherwise isolated chance for orographically enhanced convection in the northeast mtns and rest of area should remain dry under NW ridging. Temps thru period should remain right near climo norms and expecting highs Monday generally in low 90s north to mid 90s south. Baker && .LONG TERM /Tuesday through Sunday/... Upper level ridging will slowly build eastward into the Tennessee Valley through the long term periods. A weak surface boundary will linger over portions of central and south Georgia through mid week but will have limited moisture to work with. This pattern will lend itself to isolated to scattered diurnally driven showers and thunderstorms through the work week with afternoon highs in the 90s across much of the area, with mid to upper 90s across a large portion of the forecast area Tuesday through Friday. Heat indices will be near 100 across portions of north GA with 100-105 across central GA through next weekend. Although long term models are in pretty good agreement, GFS continues to trend toward a wetter pattern Thursday and beyond, with POPs likely on Sunday. Atwell && .AVIATION... 18Z Update... Initial VFR conditions with possible few cu 4-6 kft and some mid/upper level cigs from cloud shield of convective complex pushing southward across Alabama. Think most storm activity should stay west of the sites except for perhaps CSG after about 20/21z but will carry VCSH and tempo SHRA for near ATL. Cannot rule out some evening isolated development with main upper wave axis but confidence still low on and will monitor trends. Some MVFR cigs could flirt with sites near ATL and CSG Monday morning but greater chance for CSG. Winds mainly NW to SW 5-8 kts with 3-5 kts overnight (calm in south). Precip chances too low for Monday so just mainly SCT cu 4-6 kft. //ATL Confidence...18Z Update... Low on shower/storm potential this afternoon and evening. High on all else. Baker && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 70 93 71 95 / 30 20 10 10 Atlanta 71 91 71 93 / 30 10 10 10 Blairsville 64 84 63 87 / 40 20 10 10 Cartersville 68 90 67 93 / 40 10 10 5 Columbus 73 94 73 97 / 40 20 10 10 Gainesville 70 89 69 91 / 30 10 10 10 Macon 73 94 72 96 / 30 20 10 10 Rome 69 90 68 94 / 30 10 10 5 Peachtree City 70 91 69 94 / 40 10 10 10 Vidalia 75 95 74 97 / 10 50 20 20 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...Baker LONG TERM....Atwell AVIATION...Baker
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 1132 AM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-131545- 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- 1132 AM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight... Scattered thunderstorms are possible for much of north and central Georgia into tonight. Some storms could be severe with damaging winds, large hail, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall. The best chance for severe storms will favor north and west Georgia this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday... Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected for portions of north and central Georgia on Monday and for mainly southern portions of central Georgia Tuesday and Wednesday. Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected across the entire area Thursday through Saturday. Some storms will be strong with gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall. Heat indices of 100 to 105 can be expected over portions of central Georgia on Monday and over central and portions of north Georgia Tuesday through Saturday. .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
444 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020
GAZ066-078-122115-
Harris GA-Troup GA-
444 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN HARRIS AND SOUTHERN
TROUP COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM EDT...
At 444 PM EDT...the leading edge of a line of strong thunderstorms
was along a line extending from Abbottsford to Rocky Point to
Denson...and moving east at 30 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 these storms include
LaGrange, West Point, Mountville, Cannonville, State Line Park,
Abbottsford, Piedmont Heights, Big Springs, Jones Crossroads, Baughs
Crossroads, Smiths Crossroad, Whitesville-Pine Lake and Long Cane.
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 3304 8488 3289 8490 3276 8511 3277 8513
3277 8512 3281 8517 3283 8517 3285 8515
3286 8519 3311 8523
TIME...MOT...LOC 2044Z 289DEG 27KT 3306 8521 3299 8522 3292 8529
WIND...40MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
506 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020
GAZ078-089-122145-
Harris GA-Muscogee GA-
506 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARRIS AND WESTERN MUSCOGEE
COUNTIES UNTIL 545 PM EDT...
At 505 PM EDT...a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from near West Point to Beulah to near Griffen Mill
Alabama...and moving southeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 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 these storms include
Columbus, Hamilton, Pine Mountain, Bibb City, Goat Rock Lake, Laurel
Hills, Green Island Hills, Vista Terrace, Cataula, Columbus
Metropolitan Airport, Rose Hill, Mountain Hill, Benning Hills,
Avondale, Benning Park, Fortson, Mulberry Grove, Whitesville-Pine
Lake, Saint Marys Hills and Edgewood.
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.
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 3285 8484 3255 8482 3239 8491 3237 8496
3239 8499 3239 8497 3241 8498 3243 8496
3245 8500 3252 8500 3258 8507 3264 8511
3266 8509 3269 8512 3274 8511 3276 8514
3278 8512 3281 8517 3285 8515 3287 8519
TIME...MOT...LOC 2105Z 292DEG 28KT 3283 8521 3269 8520 3259 8525
WIND...50MPHThe Maxwell AFB radar (KMXX), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:35 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The broadcast media and an amateur radio operator reported trees and power lines blown down from River Road in Green Island Hills to around the intersection of Veterans Parkway and Hamilton Road in Laurel Hills.
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, July 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: 903057.