A potent storm system developing over the lower MS River Valley tracked eastward across the Gulf Coast States and brought a couple rounds of severe storms to the local area. The first wave of strong to severe storms approached SE GA midday with strong shear and high low level helicity favoring all severe weather hazards including damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes.
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 JAX wrote it up.
A potent storm system developing over the lower MS River Valley tracked eastward across the Gulf Coast States and brought a couple rounds of severe storms to the local area. The first wave of strong to severe storms approached SE GA midday with strong shear and high low level helicity favoring all severe weather hazards including damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes. This initial band of convection stalled just north of the I-10 corridor and lingered into the afternoon as the first mid level trough lifted NE of the region. This lingering convergent line (outflow boundary) was a focus for continued rounds of severe storms and locally heavy rainfall under strengthening upper level divergence and robust 850 mb winds of 40-50 kts as the parent mid/upper level troughs approached from the west into the evening. The next wave of severe storms developed in the late afternoon and early evening along both the lingering trough/outflow axis across NE FL was well as upstream across south GA as the next strong upper level trough approached, which another round of severe hazards including tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail across SE GA and northeast Florida into the evening. Storms generally weakened a few hours after midnight as stronger dynamics lifted NE of the region, but a few stronger storms during the early morning hours of the 25th produced a brief tornado in Flagler county and hail across our southern tier counties.
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 Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 24, 8:50 AM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
950 AM EDT Sat Apr 24 2021
...ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORNADO POTENTIAL FOR
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA MIDDAY THROUGH EARLY EVENING...
...WARM AND WINDY NORTHEAST FLORIDA, WITH SEVERE STORM POTENTIAL
LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...
.UPDATE...
Sfc analysis showed a warm front across southeast GA at 12Z with a
squall line noted over southeast AL and southwest GA, moving east
about 45-50 mph. Complex sfc low around 1004 mb was centered over
the lower MS valley. Our area remains in southeast wind flow pattern
in the low levels, and veers to south and then southwest at 500-600
mb. Current timing of convection upstream has it moving into our
southeast GA counties around 11 AM to noon. Storm damage is noted
with this squall line already to our west. While there is a chance
this squall line may weaken a bit, the airmass will be capable of
sustaining this system over the next few hours given 50-60 kt of
bulk shear and developing MUCAPE of 500-1000 J/kg. If it holds
together, we anticipate a chance of severe storms, with potential
damaging winds and an isolated tornado. Through 2 PM, main threat
will be from Clinch and Echols counties to Wayne counties and points
northward. After that time, the line may drift further south to near
I-10 and stall and gradually break apart and still pose a threat of
severe weather. Another batch of showers and storms are expected
across southeast GA late afternoon and into the evening that will
again bring a chance of severe storms. By late afternoon for
northeast FL, isolated to scattered convection will be moving in
across I-10 areas, but the main bulk of showers and storms will move
in late evening and overnight. For the updated forecasts this
morning, we included severe wording in the grids and sped up some of
the precip moving in from the west. We upped the storm total
rainfall amounts (through Sunday morning) for southeast GA with
forecast of 2-4 inches and ~0.5 to 1.5 for northeast FL. Thus,
localized flooding is highest for southeast GA and particularly from
Waycross westward, where training of cells seems most likely.
.MARINE...
Current CWF looked good with winds and seas. SAUF1 was reporting
south-southeast winds 15 kt and nearshore buoys had 3-4 ft. Will
mainly adjust wording to reflect latest obs and have SCA conditions
developing soon.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION [750 AM EDT]...
.NEAR TERM [Through Tonight]...
A dynamic weather pattern today and tonight as a potent storm
system developing over the lower MS River Valley early this
morning tracks eastward across the Gulf Coast States. A couple
rounds of severe storms are expected across the local area
associated with this storm system.
The first wave of strong to severe storms will approach SE GA
midday. Strong shear and high low level helicity will bring the
threat of both damaging winds and tornadoes. CAM models continued
to indicate an initial band of convection approaching SE GA from
the west through midday, then stalling and lingering near the Altamaha
River to as far south as Waycross this afternoon as the first mid
level trough lifts NE of the region. This lingering convergent
line (outflow boundary) will be a focus for continued rounds of
severe storms and locally heavy rainfall under strengthening
upper level divergence and robust 850 mb winds of 40-50 kts as the
parent mid/upper level troughs approach from the west into the
evening.
This lingering trough axis will begin to edge southward toward
I-10 and NE FL this evening, bringing the next wave of severe
storm potential with a continued damaging wind threat as well as
tornado potential especially across the Suwannee River Valley this
evening where higher low level instabilty will nose inland from
the GOMEX around 00z. The convective line will thin and settle
southward across NE FL through 09z Sunday with decreasing severe
storm potential as stronger upper level forcing lifts NE of the
region and low level jet dynamics weaken.
Warm and windy conditions will develop after sunrise this morning
trailing the lifting warm front. Low level jet winds will mix
down with gusts of 35-40 mph by early afternoon, just shy of
local wind advisory criteria. Temperatures will warm into the
mid/upper 80s for NE FL to the upper 70s to near 80 for SE GA.
Precip will clear NW to SE after midnight, with showers and
isolated tstorms pushing south of Flalger-Putnam-Marion counties
around daybreak Sunday with the surface cold front edging
southward over SE GA. Mild low temperatures tonight will range in
the 60s to near 70 across our SE FL zones.
.SHORT TERM [Sunday Through Monday]...
The last of the convection associated with the frontal passage
will move off to the south and disperse on Sunday morning as the
boundary moves out of the forecast area resulting in dry weather
and clearing skies for the rest of Sunday and continuing on into
next week. Surface winds will shift about from out of the east to
become more out of the west-northwest by Monday as the center of
high pressure moves northward, over Georgia. Temperatures
following the fropa will be similar to the ones that preceded it
due to a lack of thermal difference between the different air
masses, with high temperatures expected to reach up into the 80s.
.LONG TERM [Tuesday Through Friday]...
Dry weather conditions will continue on through midweek as high
pressure ridging extending from the high pressure system drifting
further out over the Atlantic, drapes across Georgia and the
Florida peninsula from out of the northeast. Showers and storms
ahead of an advancing cold front are expected to reach the
forecast area by the end of the week. Lack of consensus between
long term models makes the timing of the fropa difficult, with
convective weather expected to impact the region sometime between
early Friday morning and late night Friday / early morning
Saturday. Daily high temperatures will continue to be in the lower
to mid 80s up until next weekend.
.AVIATION...
[Through 12Z Sunday]
Generally VFR ceilings expected to prevail over the next several
hours with a brief period of LLWS around 12Z-14Z due to a rapid
increase in winds around 1500 ft close to 35 kt. Breezy south to
southeast sfc winds expected this morning around 10-15kt with
gusts up to 25 kt. Further increasing winds in the aftn. Shower
and thunderstorm chances will ramp up over parts of southeast GA
later this morning and through the afternoon and evening. First
bout of showers and storms for SSI will be around 16Z-20Z as a
broken squall line moves into the area. Best chance of conveciton
for northeast FL will move during the late afternoon and mainly
this evening and into the overnight hours. Strong to severe storms
will be possible given the strong vertical shear and developing
instability. For now have indicated MVFR for the showers and
storms but IFR will certainty be possible as the strongest
convection, currently over srn AL and the wrn FL panhandle, shifts
eastward through the day, with the second round of showers and
storms later this afternoon and overnight. Frontal boundary will
sink southward tonight, with showers and storm potential ending
between 09Z-11Z Sunday for SSI and around JAX. Lingering showers
and storm possible still 09Z-12Z for GNV and SGJ.
.MARINE...
South winds increase after sunrise morning to advisory levels as
a storm system approaches from the west. Adjust the time of the
Small Craft Advisory to begin for all waters today around 10 am.
Thunderstorm potential increases midday over the Georgia waters
and then this evening and tonight over the Florida waters as a
pre-frontal squall line moves across the area as winds decrease to
Exercise Caution levels over the near shore waters this evening
and then further weaken over the outer waters pre-dawn Sunday
morning. A cold front will push south across the water Sunday
morning as high pressure builds northwest of the region. High
pressure builds north then northeast of the local waters late
Sunday through Tuesday, then the high builds east of the waters
mid-week as southerly winds increase in advance of the next
approaching frontal system.
Rip Currents: A moderate rip current risk all area beaches today.
A moderate to low risk is expected Sunday.
.HYDROLOGY...
Weekend rainfall amounts are expected to range from 1.5 to 2.5
inches for parts of SE GA north of a Homerville to Jesup line,
with the higher amounts toward the Altamaha River basin. This area
received little rainfall from last week's storm system, so overall
welcome rain in this area with little widespread flood threat thus
no flood watch expected at this time. There is the potential for
training bands of heavy rainfall midday today into the evening
for SE GA, and locally higher amounts could cause localized
flooding issues. Rainfall totals tapper off southward across NE FL
where 0.5 to 1 inch of rainfall is expected mainly tonight as the
squall line steadily shifts southward and progressively weakens.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG 78 62 79 55 82 / 100 100 0 0 0
SSI 78 66 80 63 77 / 100 100 10 0 0
JAX 84 67 84 61 80 / 30 100 10 0 0
SGJ 83 69 83 64 78 / 20 80 20 0 0
GNV 84 67 83 59 84 / 10 80 20 0 0
OCF 86 68 85 60 87 / 0 80 30 0 0
&&
.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...None.
GA...None.
AM...Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM EDT Sunday for Waters from
Altamaha Sound GA to Fernandina Beach FL from 20 to 60 NM-
Waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL from 20 to
60 NM-Waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL from 20
to 60 NM.
Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM EDT this evening for Coastal
waters from Altamaha Sound to Fernandina Beach FL out 20 NM-
Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL
out 20 NM-Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler
Beach FL out 20 NM.
&&The Moody AFB radar (KVAX), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:16 UTC.
5 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood, 1 heavy rain, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous reports of large hail were reported across the NW tier of the county.
NW Atkinson County reported multiple trees blown down.
Trees and power lines were blown down near Paradise Lane. An overturned vehicle was in the ditch and the occupant was not able to be reached at the time of the report due to downed power lines.
Quarter size hail was reported between Wilsonville and Nicholls on Andrew Tanner Road.
Straight line wind damaged a single wide mobile home, farm shelter, and an unoccupied tractor trailer that was rolled over.
A tree was blown down onto a mobile home and severely dented the roof at 8501 Carter Road. The time of damage was based on radar.
A spotter measured 6.96 inches of rainfall from 12:15 pm Saturday 4/24 to 1 am Sunday 4/25. The location was near the Appling and Pierce county line along Long Branch Road in the Long Branch Community of Appling county.
Widespread trees damage was reported county wide. The time of damage was based on radar.
Tennis ball size hail damaged vehicles. It broke windows and dented tops of cars about 2 miles east of Statenville along Highway 94.
A supercell thunderstorm crossed the southern tier of Coffee county and produced a tornado that impacted SW Douglas. Initial debris included large snapped trees and begin near Hebron Church, south of GA Highway 158 in Willacoochee, GA. The most extensive damage occurred in Baymeadows Estates, a community where numerous homes suffered wind and tree damage consistent with low-end EF2 tornado damage. The tornado maintained an ESE heading and impacted the Bear Creek mobile home community where numerous pine trees were snapped. The damage path consisted of snapped trees eastward and ended near Carver Baptist Church. Peak winds were estimated at 116 mph.
Nearly 50 miles of county roads were damaged by flooding rainfall. Most damage was across NW portions of the county near Willacoochee. Bridgetown Road and Coochee creek had major damage. Most roads become passable about 24 hrs later. Rainfall reports from Coffee and Bacon County reported 6.94 inches in Douglas, 8.10 inches in Pridgen, 6.50 inches in Alma while farther south across Clinch county storm total rainfall was 2.6 inches in Fargo to 3.81 inches about 2 miles NE of Fargo.
Quarter size hail was reported along Moonshine Road. The time of damage was based on radar.
Quarter size hail was reported on Moonshadow Road. The time of the event was based on radar.
There was at least 2 inches of standing water along Highway 32 between Douglas and Nicholls.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2021Warnings in Georgia, April 2021
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: 947490, 947495, 947499, 947491, 947496, 947497, 947494, 947500, 947504, 947508, 947505, 947503, 947493, 947506.