A broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms affected areas mainly along and south of I-20 in central Georgia late in the day on May 16th. Pockets of strong winds knocked down trees and powerlines along I-20, from Haralson County to Walton County (east of Atlanta).
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 broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms affected areas mainly along and south of I-20 in central Georgia late in the day on May 16th. Pockets of strong winds knocked down trees and powerlines along I-20, from Haralson County to Walton County (east of Atlanta).
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 May 16, 1:37 PM EST, 2 hours earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 237 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023 ...Afternoon Area Forecast Discussion... .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Wednesday) Issued at 222 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023 Initial isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms have begun to develop as analyzed SBCAPE has built to 2000-3000 J/kg across the area early this afternoon. Additional development is expected this afternoon into this evening, particularly to the northwest as a mid- level shortwave and associated weak surface low push across the Ohio Valley into the Appalachians. Thus, a couple of different "rounds" of convection are possible with the initial scattered development occurring within the warm, unstable environment this afternoon and secondly with any activity that develops across the Tennessee Valley and drops southward into north Georgia later this evening. An isolated severe risk exists with any of this activity, primarily across north Georgia where enhanced winds aloft associated with the aforementioned shortwave will increase a locally damaging wind threat with any storm clusters this evening. On Wednesday, a trough dropping through eastern Canada will push a cold front southward into the region. The front will roughly bisect the area tomorrow afternoon, focusing the highest coverage of showers and thunderstorms across the southern two thirds or so of the area. With a soupy airmass remaining in place and instability building through the afternoon, the risk for strong to isolated severe thunderstorms will again exist, despite weaker winds aloft as compared to today. Locally heavy rainfall will be a risk again given PWATs of 1.5 to near 2". RW && .LONG TERM... (Thursday morning through next Monday) Issued at 222 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023 Thursday and Friday: CAD/wedge will promote relatively cooler conditions with highs in the lower 70s to lower 80s both days. A couple 500 mb shortwave troughs traversing the Southeast will support scattered to widespread showers CWA-wide on Thursday, but as the wedge builds in from the northeast, instability will be focused across the western and southern portions of the CWA. As a result, expect this to be the general area where surface-based thunderstorms are most likely. Across the rest of the CWA, storms will more likely be elevated. PoPs are essentially zero on Friday as the aforementioned shortwaves shift eastward, placing the CWA beneath upper-level flow that favors subsidence and drying. Saturday through Monday: A progressive upper-level pattern is expected this weekend into early next week. A low pressure system tracking across the eastern Great Lakes and Northeast on Saturday will drive a cold front into the CWA, supporting scattered showers and storms. The upper-level flow will become quasi-zonal Sunday and Monday with 500 mb vort maxes and diurnally-driven destabilization supporting slight chance to chance PoPs both days. Temperatures will be within a few degrees of normal -- highs in the upper 70s to mid-80s and lows in the upper 50s to mid-60s. QPF is somewhat tricky given the relatively unpredictable nature of the aforementioned weak disturbances and resulting convection. For now, expecting day 1-7 rainfall accumulations of 0.5" to 1.0" CWA-wide with isolated greater amounts. There is no strong signal for widespread severe weather across north and central Georgia through the long term period, but diurnally-driven convection may produce isolated strong storms with gusty winds, locally heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning. Martin && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 120 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023 Cigs have largely improved to VFR with SCT/BKN 3500-5000 ft expected through the afternoon. The primary forecast challenge through this evening will be the timing of potential shra/tsra. Initial sct shra/tsra are developing at this hour and expected to continue development into afternoon. Most likely time frame to affect ATL/AHN area sites is expected to be 22-02Z, though some potential for convection to arrive or persist after 02Z remains possible. Cigs are expected to deteriorate to MVFR and potentially IFR by 09-12Z with gradual improvement after 15Z. Winds will remain W to NW at 5-10 kts. //ATL Confidence...18Z Update... Low confidence on shra/tsra timing. Medium confidence on morning cigs. High confidence on winds. RW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 66 83 62 71 / 30 50 40 50 Atlanta 67 81 63 72 / 40 40 30 60 Blairsville 60 79 57 72 / 60 30 10 40 Cartersville 64 81 62 75 / 60 30 10 60 Columbus 67 85 65 81 / 40 60 40 80 Gainesville 66 83 62 71 / 40 40 20 50 Macon 68 85 65 75 / 20 60 40 80 Rome 65 82 61 77 / 60 30 10 60 Peachtree City 65 81 62 73 / 40 60 30 70 Vidalia 70 88 67 76 / 10 60 50 80 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...RW LONG TERM....Martin AVIATION...RW
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 1135 AM EDT Tue May 16 2023 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-171545- 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- 1135 AM EDT Tue May 16 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight... The portion of the forecast area along and north of I-20 has a Marginal Risk (1 on a 0-5 scale) for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Several rounds of storms will bring a threat for damaging wind gusts, localized heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday... Scattered afternoon and evening showers and storms are forecast each day Wednesday through Monday. Isolated severe storms will be possible, but widespread severe weather is not expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
202 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
GAZ068-069-161815-
Upson GA-Pike GA-
202 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Pike
and northwestern Upson Counties through 215 PM EDT...
At 202 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was over Atwater, or near
Thomaston, moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Up to 40 mph wind, pea sized hail and frequent lightning.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Thomaston, Atwater and Hannahs Mill.
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 3303 8445 3304 8426 3303 8426 3303 8427
3299 8427 3299 8426 3294 8426 3288 8432
3294 8446
TIME...MOT...LOC 1802Z 283DEG 12KT 3297 8438
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
253 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
GAZ069>071-161930-
Lamar GA-Monroe GA-Upson GA-
253 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of southwestern Monroe,
northeastern Upson and southeastern Lamar Counties through 330 PM
EDT...
At 253 PM EDT, a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from near Brent to Lincoln Park, and moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Up to 40 mph wind, pea sized hail and frequent lightning.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Thomaston, Yatesville, Culloden, Sunset Village, Lincoln Park,
Redbone, Logtown and Redbone 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 3294 8399 3287 8408 3282 8423 3283 8436
3289 8442 3299 8412 3299 8403
TIME...MOT...LOC 1853Z 275DEG 12KT 3297 8405 3288 8435
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
404 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
GAZ030-041-162030-
Polk GA-Haralson GA-
404 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Haralson and
southwestern Polk Counties through 430 PM EDT...
At 403 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was near Felton, or 8 miles
northwest of Buchanan, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Up to 40 mph wind, pea sized hail and frequent lightning.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Cedartown, Buchanan, Bremen, Tallapoosa, Fish Creek, Draketown,
Felton, Eubank Lake, Esom Hill and Antioch.
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 3402 8510 3388 8503 3388 8504 3381 8504
3381 8505 3378 8505 3373 8506 3371 8535
3399 8540
TIME...MOT...LOC 2003Z 276DEG 27KT 3389 8530
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
432 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
GAZ030-031-041-042-162100-
Polk GA-Haralson GA-Carroll GA-Paulding GA-
432 PM EDT Tue May 16 2023
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of west central
Paulding, Haralson, northwestern Carroll and southern Polk Counties
through 500 PM EDT...
At 431 PM EDT, a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from near Eubank Lake to near Abernathy, and moving east at
25 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind, nickel sized hail and frequent cloud to
ground lightning.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Buchanan, Bremen, Temple, Rockmart, Tallapoosa, Mount Zion, Waco,
Eubank Lake, Antioch, Van Wert, Draketown, Felton and Bowdon
Junction.
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 3401 8499 3373 8502 3357 8532 3392 8539
TIME...MOT...LOC 2031Z 273DEG 21KT 3393 8511 3368 8541
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPHThe Atlanta radar (KFFC), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:37 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Report of a tree down along Macedonia Church Rd.
Report of tree down along HWY 78 in the town of Waco, GA.
Report of tree down on Winding Grove LN near Southern cul de sac.
Multiple trees and powerlines down including along Twin lakes Rd at Tom Brewer Rd, Bay Creek Rd near Golden Isles Dr, Hwy 81 at Bay Creek Church Rd, Tiffany Ln at Shiloh Rd, and Rock Road near Rock Hollow Dr.
Report of powerline down along Sandy Creek Rd between Sandy Creek Cir and Sandy Creek Ct.
Report of power pole down at Hawkins Academy Rd between Knox Chapel Rd and Simon Solar Farm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2023
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: 1098401, 1102271, 1102273, 1102274, 1102272, 1102275.