A weak trough moving across central GA was able to produce a line of thunderstorms across central GA. Two storms within the line were able to become strong with several trees down.
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 weak trough moving across central GA was able to produce a line of thunderstorms across central GA. Two storms within the line were able to become strong with several trees down.
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 17, 2:03 PM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 303 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 ...Afternoon Area Forecast Discussion... .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Thursday) Issued at 259 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 Models have performed better today with scattered convection firing. The atmosphere has recovered quickly from the showers this morning with temps in the low 90s and dewpoints in the 70s. That along with CAPE values ~2500-3000 J/kg and pockets of 3500 J/kg mean these storms have plenty of energy to work with this afternoon. Shear is still basically non existent so although we could see a couple of severe storms, not expecting anything widespread. Lapse rates are decent but not overly impressive so wouldn't be surprised if we saw a few reports of pea size hail with any storms that become strong along with the other threats of gusty winds (mainly sub severe) and frequent lightning. PWATs from the morning sounding show ~1.8" which means that these storms will also be efficient rainfall producers. Despite this, we are only looking at isolated pockets of up to 0.25" mainly associated with the convection at this time. Tomorrow we should start to see some effects from the front as it drapes just north of the area. This should result in increased convection in north GA and the normal diurnal convection should continue into the afternoon for the remainder of GA. Temps will again be in the low to mid 90s for most of the area with limited relief if you happen to be affected by a shower. Hernandez && .LONG TERM... (Friday morning through next Tuesday) Issued at 259 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 The trend towards wetter weather doesn't look to abate with this forecast update. Stalled front will likley be to the north of the area Friday with remnant outflow from copious storms Thursday somewhere in the state. This will provide a focus for additonal convection with best chances in central GA. Some uncertainty on coverage in northern GA, but with moisture likely present if front remains north, hard to rule out airmass storms. Into the weekend, little change in the upper air pattern means that southerly flow from the Gulf will continue to move into the area, bringing with it the lovely moist airmass. Airmass thunderstorms expected to continue. Open tropical wave moves in Monday/Tuesday and looks to bring even more moist air to the party, so the airmass storms should continue. QPF values continue to be 2-4" over the area through the period, with much higher amounts possible where storms train or affect the same areas day by day. WPC has held a Marginal Risk of flash flooding for Friday, and expect that to likely be the case for the next few days past if the forecast continues to hold. Severe concerns remain low overall, but not zero. Will need to see if the front/remnant outflow can help briefly organize anything on Friday, but otherwise forecast effective bulk shear values remain well below the threshold for organized convection. MLCAPE values of 2000+ J/kg will be possible each day per forecasts, so that can create the potential for taller more persistent updrafts that could be capable of some isolated damaging wind gusts when they collapse. Lusk && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 141 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 Thunderstorms are beginning to pop over the area with a cu field ~4kft. Expecting these scattered storms to prevail through ~23z. Looking at tomorrow morning, there is a low end chance for showers to and MVFR CIGS between 08 and 11z. After that, into the afternoon tomorrow expecting another round of diurnal showers and thunderstorms to affect the area. Winds will shift to the NW tomorrow afternoon. //ATL Confidence...18Z Update... Low to medium on lack of showers and MVFR tomorrow morning. Medium on all other elements. Hernandez && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 72 93 71 87 / 40 60 50 80 Atlanta 73 91 71 85 / 50 80 50 80 Blairsville 66 84 65 79 / 70 70 40 80 Cartersville 70 91 69 85 / 60 70 40 70 Columbus 73 95 73 90 / 30 80 60 80 Gainesville 73 91 71 83 / 50 70 40 80 Macon 72 95 72 91 / 30 70 60 80 Rome 71 91 70 85 / 60 80 30 70 Peachtree City 71 93 70 86 / 40 80 50 80 Vidalia 75 95 74 94 / 30 60 50 80 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...Hernandez LONG TERM....Lusk AVIATION...Hernandez
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 253 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-181900- 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- 253 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight... Scattered thunderstorms are ongoing this afternoon, coming to and end after sundown. The main threat will be gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall. Hot and humid conditions continue with heat index values between 100 and 105 degrees across much of the area. A few locations east of Athens to Macon could exceed 105 degrees. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday... Scattered to numerous afternoon and evening thunderstorms can be expected through the weekend. Severe weather is not expected at this time but heavy rain could elevate the localized flash flood threat. Heat indices exceeding 100 degrees will be possible Thursday mainly south of a line from Athens to Columbus. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
243 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
GAZ039-171915-
Wilkes GA-
243 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Wilkes
County through 315 PM EDT...
At 242 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was over Holliday Park, or 11
miles east of Washington, moving northeast at 5 mph.
HAZARD...Winds up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Aonia, Metasville, and Holliday Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
&&
LAT...LON 3366 8251 3365 8252 3365 8254 3364 8254
3364 8256 3365 8258 3364 8259 3364 8258
3363 8261 3367 8268 3387 8260 3388 8258
3386 8257 3383 8260 3364 8248
TIME...MOT...LOC 1842Z 211DEG 6KT 3369 8255
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
332 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
GAZ106-108-172000-
Crisp GA-Wilcox GA-
332 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Wilcox and east
central Crisp Counties through 400 PM EDT...
At 331 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was over Pitts, or 13 miles east
of Cordele, moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Winds up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Abbeville, Rochelle, Pitts, Double Run, Antioch Church, Owensboro,
Seville, and Hatley.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
&&
LAT...LON 3183 8363 3201 8363 3208 8330 3206 8330
3205 8331 3204 8330 3185 8329 3185 8361
3183 8361
TIME...MOT...LOC 1931Z 270DEG 14KT 3192 8355
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
338 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
GAZ097-098-109>111-172015-
Wheeler GA-Telfair GA-Treutlen GA-Laurens GA-Dodge GA-
338 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern
Laurens, east central Dodge, north central Telfair, southwestern
Treutlen and Wheeler Counties through 415 PM EDT...
At 338 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was near Cedar Grove, or 13
miles northwest of Alamo, moving southeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Winds up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
McRae, Alamo, Helena, Glenwood, Scotland, Landsburg, Cedar Grove, and
Little Ocmulgee State Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
&&
LAT...LON 3210 8293 3211 8294 3222 8308 3238 8296
3231 8265 3230 8266 3229 8264 3229 8265
3226 8264 3225 8265 3224 8264 3211 8267
3203 8283
TIME...MOT...LOC 1938Z 304DEG 14KT 3227 8295
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
426 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
GAZ093-095-105-172100-
Macon GA-Dooly GA-Houston GA-
426 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Macon,
northwestern Dooly and southwestern Houston Counties through 500 PM
EDT...
At 425 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was over Montezuma, or over
Oglethorpe, moving east at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Winds up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Oglethorpe, Montezuma, Byromville, Dooling, Whitewater State Park,
Clearview, Winchester, and Henderson.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
&&
LAT...LON 3220 8410 3238 8412 3245 8383 3244 8383
3244 8382 3229 8377 3214 8381
TIME...MOT...LOC 2025Z 265DEG 10KT 3230 8403
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPHThe Atlanta radar (KFFC), 36 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:26 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Zebulon UMC caught fire due to lightning strike. Building is a total loss.
A utility line was reported down in the vicinity of Lucille Driskell Circle.
A tree was reported down on Log Cabin Drive .
Several trees down around the James Road and Cheely Drive/Newby Lane area per emergency management.
Trees were reported down in AH Stephens State Park as well as in Crawfordville with some trees across roads in the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, July 2024
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: 1204516, 1204518, 1204519, 1204521, 1204522.