Thunderstorms ahead of a sharp cold front produced several reports of damaging thunderstorm wind gusts across portions of north and central 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.
Thunderstorms ahead of a sharp cold front produced several reports of damaging thunderstorm wind gusts across portions of north and central 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 Mar 28, 6:37 AM EST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 737 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021 .UPDATE... For 12z TAFs/Aviation. See discussion below. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 423 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021/ SHORT TERM /Today through Monday/... Very mild conditions exist across the area early this morning ahead of a strong cold front that will cross north and central GA today. Leading edge of convective/storm complex expected to reach NW Georgia btwn 11-12z, advancing south and east through day. Greatest severe potential will be across northwest/north-central GA (west of a Blue Ridge to Jasper to Cartersville to Cedartown line) this morning, where 50-60kts low lvl (0-3KM) winds/bulk shear coupled with MLCAPE up to 500 J/KG will exist to support damaging wind threat in any bowing line segments. We are continuing to monitor conditions across north Alabama for a potential WATCH across this area. Elsewhere, through the late morning/afternoon... narrow line of showers and storms will continue to move southeast perhaps undergoing some weakening before tapping into better instability this afternoon over middle/central GA. Shear profiles are not expected to be as impressive as early this morning (across the north) so severe threat will "isolated" at best this afternoon as line eventually weakens and exits forecast area by 6-8 PM this evening. In addition to the storm threats, gusty winds will occur just ahead of the front as well as for several hours post-frontal. Guidance suggesting 15-20 mph sustained winds with gusts up to 30 mph at times. This doesn't meet Wind Advisory criteria but will have to be monitored as we head into the late morning/early afternoon hours. Much drier/cooler air will filter across the area tonight with low temps in the 30s/40s (far cry from the 60s/70s we are seeing this morning). Dry and stable conditions will prevail Monday with more seasonal temperatures expected. DJN.83 LONG TERM /Monday Night through Saturday/... At the start of the period GA is under a weak ridge aloft with the remnants of a surface front along the Gulf Coast. The surface boundary moves north through Tuesday as a wave develops on it. This will spread showers and a few thunderstorms back into north and central GA Monday night and Tuesday. For Tuesday night through Wednesday night a long wave trough moves from the MS River Valley eastward through the Great Lakes. This will push a cold front through GA on Wednesday. Highest pops on Tuesday night and Wednesday still look reasonable with the frontal passage. With increasing instability during that time...have included a mention of thunder. By Thursday the long wave trough has moved off the Atlantic Coast and a dry northwest flow dominates the forecast area. A cooling trend is in store after Wednesday with low temperatures in the 30s for much of the area Wednesday night and Thursday night. The GFS and ECMWF seem to be in reasonable agreement on the major features. 41 DJN.83 && .AVIATION... 12Z Update... Broken line of convection has entered NW Georgia and should make its way across ATL and surrounding sites between 14-17z. Gusty winds and locally heavy rain should be main threats. Outside of the storms, increasing SW winds will occur then shift W/NW behind the line (sustained 15-20 mph w/ gusts around 25 mph). MVFR cigs expected to increase ahead of the convection, then gradually erode as drier air comes in behind the front. Winds should diminish late this evening/overnight. For ATL... a wind shift to the E/NE is expected after 12z/Monday. //ATL Confidence...12Z Update... Medium on ceilings/wind speeds Medium to high on timing and impacts from convection DJN.83 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 74 40 66 44 / 80 10 5 10 Atlanta 73 40 65 46 / 80 10 5 10 Blairsville 64 34 63 41 / 90 10 0 5 Cartersville 69 37 66 44 / 90 5 5 5 Columbus 74 44 69 51 / 90 10 5 20 Gainesville 69 40 64 44 / 80 10 5 10 Macon 82 43 70 49 / 80 20 0 20 Rome 69 39 66 44 / 90 5 5 5 Peachtree City 74 40 67 46 / 80 10 5 10 Vidalia 85 49 71 53 / 60 50 5 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 11 AM EDT this morning for the following zones: Bartow...Catoosa...Chattooga...Cherokee... Dade...Dawson...Fannin...Floyd...Gilmer...Gordon...Lumpkin... Murray...Pickens...Polk...Union...Walker...Whitfield. && SHORT TERM...DJN.83 LONG TERM....41 AVIATION...DJN.83
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 455 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-290900- 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- 455 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight... A cold front will bring a line of scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms to north and central Georgia today into the early evening. The showers and thunderstorms will enter northwest Georgia early this morning...and spread east and south across the remainder of the area this afternoon and early evening. A few storms could become strong to severe. The main threats will be damaging winds and large hail. Locally heavy rain is also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday... There will be a chance for thnderstorms again Tuesday night through Wednesday night ahead of another frontal boundary as it crosses the area mid week. .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
645 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
GAZ001>003-281115-
Catoosa GA-Walker GA-Dade GA-
645 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN CATOOSA...WALKER AND DADE
COUNTIES UNTIL 715 AM EDT...
At 645 AM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Cloudland Canyon State
Park, or near Trenton...moving northeast at 35 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 this storm include
Trenton, Fort Oglethorpe, Rossville, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain,
Rising Fawn, Noble, Lakeview, Blue Spring, Wildwood, Fairview,
Stephensville, Beaumont, Chattanooga Valley, New England,
Morganville, Cloudland Canyon State Park, Cooper Heights, Rock Spring
and Hooker.
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 3492 8519 3475 8517 3469 8555 3488 8559
3498 8543 3499 8523
TIME...MOT...LOC 1045Z 239DEG 31KT 3482 8551
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
719 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
GAZ001>006-281200-
Whitfield GA-Catoosa GA-Walker GA-Dade GA-Murray GA-Fannin GA-
719 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WHITFIELD...CATOOSA...WALKER...
SOUTHWESTERN DADE...MURRAY AND NORTHWESTERN FANNIN COUNTIES UNTIL 800
AM EDT...
At 718 AM EDT...a line of strong thunderstorms extended from near
Cohutta to Rock Spring to Rising Fawn, moving east at 45 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
Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, Ringgold, Fort Oglethorpe, Rossville,
Chickamauga, Varnell, Eton, Tunnel Hill, Cohutta, Center Post,
Crandall, Sumac, Jones Mill, Gregory, Blue Spring, Cohutta
Wilderness, Epworth and Fairview.
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 3499 8426 3485 8458 3485 8461 3473 8469
3461 8494 3462 8506 3460 8506 3459 8553
3476 8556 3499 8529
TIME...MOT...LOC 1118Z 259DEG 40KT 3499 8488 3482 8515 3469 8542 3462
8564
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
806 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
GAZ002>008-281245-
Gilmer GA-Whitfield GA-Union GA-Catoosa GA-Walker GA-Murray GA-
Fannin GA-
806 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN GILMER...WHITFIELD...
NORTHERN UNION...SOUTHEASTERN CATOOSA...SOUTHEASTERN WALKER...MURRAY
AND FANNIN COUNTIES UNTIL 845 AM EDT...
At 805 AM EDT...a line of strong thunderstorms extended from
Copperhill to near Conasauga Lake to near Tilton to near
Villanow, moving east at 55 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
Dalton, Chatsworth, Blue Ridge, Blairsville, Varnell, Eton, Tunnel
Hill, Morganton, Crandall, Sumac, Jones Mill, Higdon, Gregory,
Loving, Jones Creek, Cohutta Wilderness, Epworth, Conasauga Lake,
Beaverdale and Mineral Bluff.
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 3499 8394 3497 8395 3493 8392 3490 8385
3485 8389 3479 8416 3470 8470 3462 8531
3482 8513 3499 8483
TIME...MOT...LOC 1205Z 259DEG 46KT 3499 8437 3481 8462 3471 8495 3466
8515
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
812 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
GAZ002-004-005-011-012-019-020-281245-
Chattooga GA-Whitfield GA-Walker GA-Gordon GA-Bartow GA-Murray GA-
Floyd GA-
812 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN CHATTOOGA...SOUTHERN
WHITFIELD...SOUTHEASTERN WALKER...GORDON...NORTHERN BARTOW...
SOUTHWESTERN MURRAY AND NORTHEASTERN FLOYD COUNTIES UNTIL 845 AM
EDT...
At 811 AM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was near Summerville, moving
east at 55 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
Calhoun, Summerville, Adairsville, Trion, Resaca, Plainville, Ranger,
Center Post, Sonoraville, Oostanaula, Subligna, Suttles Mill,
Tidings, Redbud, Armuchee, Lake Marvin, Audubon, Sugar Valley, Oakman
and Everett Springs.
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 3437 8539 3461 8536 3468 8479 3458 8467
3439 8475
TIME...MOT...LOC 1211Z 259DEG 46KT 3450 8526
HAIL...0.75IN
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
841 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
GAZ004-005-007-011>013-019>021-281315-
Chattooga GA-Gilmer GA-Whitfield GA-Cherokee GA-Gordon GA-Bartow GA-
Pickens GA-Murray GA-Floyd GA-
841 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHATTOOGA...GILMER...SOUTHERN
WHITFIELD...NORTHWESTERN CHEROKEE...GORDON...NORTHERN BARTOW...
PICKENS...SOUTHERN MURRAY AND FLOYD COUNTIES UNTIL 915 AM EDT...
At 839 AM EDT...a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from near Everett Springs to near Coosa...and moving east
at 55 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 these storms include
Rome, Calhoun, Jasper, Ellijay, Adairsville, East Ellijay, Resaca,
Plainville, Talking Rock, Shannon, Fairmount, Lyerly, Ranger,
Sequoyah Lake, Pinson, Redbud, Folsom, Lake Marvin, Cartecay and
Pisgah.
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 3459 8510 3459 8506 3461 8506 3467 8496
3476 8428 3472 8425 3467 8425 3464 8420
3461 8420 3460 8426 3457 8426 3458 8433
3457 8435 3451 8433 3430 8465 3423 8545
3437 8548
TIME...MOT...LOC 1239Z 260DEG 46KT 3447 8514 3430 8536
WIND...40MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
911 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
GAZ006-007-281345-
Gilmer GA-Fannin GA-
911 AM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR GILMER AND EASTERN FANNIN
COUNTIES UNTIL 945 AM EDT...
At 910 AM EDT...a strong thunderstorm was over Ellijay...moving east
at 45 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 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
Ellijay, Blue Ridge, East Ellijay, Morganton, Hemp, Talona, Margret,
Hurst, Dial, Cartecay, Pisgah, Cherry Log, Mountaintown, Stover Creek
Shelter, Roy and Roundtop.
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 3491 8413 3488 8411 3486 8412 3486 8414
3484 8415 3481 8414 3480 8413 3480 8409
3473 8409 3472 8411 3464 8416 3458 8464
3481 8456 3493 8416
TIME...MOT...LOC 1310Z 253DEG 40KT 3471 8447
WIND...50MPHThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:10 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Floyd County Emergency Manager reported a few trees blown down along Burnett Ferry Road near the Alto Park Recreation Center.
The Bartow County Emergency Manager reported a tree blown down onto a power line near the intersection of Jordan Road and Bill Black Street SE.
The Union County Emergency Manager reported trees and power lines blown down from around the intersection of Owltown Road and Bowers Road to Little Ed Road.
The Gwinnett County Emergency Manager reported trees blown down, including one onto a home and one onto powerlines, from Harvard Drive NW in Lilburn to Mirandy Way and Granada Place NW near Pleasant Hill.
The Spalding County Emergency Manager reported power lines blown down in Griffin along ands near Broad Street between South 9th Street and South 6th Street.
The Peach County Emergency Manager reported trees blown down from around Willow Lake Road at the county line to Norwood Springs Road at Highway 341.
The Twiggs County Emergency Manager reported a tree blown down on Railroad Street in Jeffersonville.
The Washington County Emergency Manager reported a tree blown down onto power lines along Deepstep Road.
The Laurens County Emergency Manager reported Power lines blown down on 2nd Street in Dudley and shingles blown off of a roof at Smith Drive and Lake View Drive in Dexter.
The Laurens County Emergency Manager reported a tree knocked down and on fire from a lightning strike along Brewton Lovett Road.
The Johnson County Emergency Manager reported a tree blown down across Highway 15.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, March 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: 941129, 941130, 941131, 941132, 941133, 941134, 941135, 941138, 941136, 941128, 941137.