A quasi-linear convective system moved across northwest Georgia during the afternoon and evening hours of May 2nd along a modest cold front. Winds damage and some hail were the main threats, however conditions became less conducive to severe weather south and east of I85.
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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.
A quasi-linear convective system moved across northwest Georgia during the afternoon and evening hours of May 2nd along a modest cold front. Winds damage and some hail were the main threats, however conditions became less conducive to severe weather south and east of I85. Complex outflow interactions along the edge of one of the northern embedded cells managed to produce a brief EF1 tornado which crossed Lake Lanier. The lowest radar scan was above the strong rotation signature.
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 2, 5:54 AM EST, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 654 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025 ...New 12Z Aviation Discussion... .SHORT TERM... (Today through Saturday) Issued at 346 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025 At a glance: - A cold front this afternoon will bring a line of thunderstorms; some of which could be severe. - Rain on Saturday will keep temps cool. Our cold front is set to move through the area late tonight and into tomorrow morning with lingering rain on Saturday afternoon. Latest guidance indicates that the environment out ahead of the line will build some impressive SBCAPE values in the range of 2000+ J/kg. The sheer axis seems to come through NW Georgia with bulk sheer values of around 40kts. Once it pushes further into Georgia however most of the models have it losing steam by the time it reaches the metro area. The primary concern will be wind again, but given that we're still technically in spring there is at least a small chance to see some hail in the strongest of thunderstorms. We'll need to keep an eye on our lapse rates and the fronts timing. The later the push, the more likely we are to develop more instability. The front will push through on Saturday bringing up to two inches of rain to some areas. Highs on Saturday will be limited to the 60s and 70s by the rain so if you have outdoor plans on Saturday, just keep an eye on on the forecast and consider a backup plan. Vaughn && .LONG TERM... (Saturday night through Thursday) Issued at 346 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025 At the start of the long term, an upper low will be slowly moving across the Mid MS and Ohio Valley Regions. At the surface, showers and thunderstorms will likely be ongoing Saturday Night as a result of a cold front moving through. Progression of this system has trended slightly slower per latest guidance so depending on how far the front progresses, there may be lingering shower and thunderstorm chances Sunday afternoon across portions of east-central GA. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms cannot be ruled out during peak heating. The upper low becomes more centered over the Ohio Valley and the surface front largely southeast of the forecast area by Monday. Again, depending on how far the front progressions far east-central GA may still see isolated thunder chances Monday afternoon. Drier and cooler conditions will kick off the work week. As mentioned in previous forecasts, an omega block type pattern looks to set up -- ridge across the Central US and a low on either side -- which will promote drier and cooler conditions. Confidence remains low as to where exactly the eastern low and central ridge set up but as a general rule of thumb with northerly flow and a surface high set up mostly dry and cool conditions will prevail early next week. Beyond midweek models begin to diverge, though unsettled weather looks to return late next week. For now, capped rain chances at 30- 35% late Wednesday into Thursday. Forecast daytime temperatures will start off in the 70s to low 80s and gradually warm back up into the upper 70s to mid 80s by the end of the period. Forecast lows dip into the 40s to low 50s Monday morning becoming more mild with lows in the 50s and 60s by midweek. 07 && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 641 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025 Some patchy fog and low cigs have stayed to the west of ATL and at this point it's unlikely to impact the airfield with the rising sun. Expect a CU field by 14Z giving low VFR CIGS. Winds will remain SW at 5-10kts. A TEMPO for TSRA has been added for storms between 20- 24Z but that time period may need to be adjusted if the front is slow to move through. //ATL Confidence...12Z Update... Low to Medium on WX timing. High on all other elements. Vaughn && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 84 61 82 59 / 30 20 60 80 Atlanta 84 63 79 59 / 40 20 80 80 Blairsville 79 57 74 53 / 60 60 90 80 Cartersville 85 60 77 54 / 50 40 90 80 Columbus 87 62 81 60 / 20 0 70 80 Gainesville 82 61 79 58 / 50 30 80 80 Macon 88 63 85 61 / 10 10 50 70 Rome 84 60 75 54 / 60 50 90 70 Peachtree City 85 61 79 57 / 40 20 70 80 Vidalia 89 65 88 65 / 10 0 40 60 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...Vaughn LONG TERM....07 AVIATION...Vaughn
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 901 PM EDT Thu May 1 2025 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-030115- 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- 901 PM EDT Thu May 1 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia. .DAY ONE...Tonight... Isolated thunderstorms are possible in north Georgia tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday... Scattered thunderstorms are expected in the region Friday afternoon and Friday night, with the greatest coverage over north Georgia. Damaging wind gusts or hail up to quarter size may occur. Additional thunderstorm activity is expected in north and central Georgia over the weekend, with the greatest potential for severe weather expected on Saturday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
821 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0708 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 NE Rome 34.29N 85.16W
05/01/2025 Floyd GA Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager reported a large tree
reported down on a home on Norwood St.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
833 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0707 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 NE Rome 34.28N 85.16W
05/01/2025 Floyd GA Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager reported two large trees
snapped on Beech St near the intersection of
Fir St.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
849 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0708 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 NE Rome 34.28N 85.16W
05/01/2025 Floyd GA Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager reported a few trees down
in the Celanese Village in northeast Rome.
&&The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:56 UTC.
13 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Tree down in the 7900 block of smithfield rd.
Tree down at maxwell rd and beaverpond rd.
Spotter reported quarter sized hail in milton .
One tree down 3 miles south of jasper .
Spotter reports quarter sized hail at hwy 225 and chattsworth hwy.
Estimated half dollar hail along thompson bridge road.
A rogue mini-supercell produced a relatively brief tornado over|the northern part of Lake Lanier, just several miles north of|Gainesville, in Hall County during the early evening hours|Friday, May 2nd. Fortunately, the tornado, which was on the|ground for about 9 minutes (2.7 miles), traveled mainly over|water between coves and bluffs along the lake. Much of the damage|was to various trees that were either snapped or uprooted. Initial|damage was noted off of Thompson Bridge Road (Hwy 60) near|Lakewood Baptist Church where at least 10-15 large trees were|uprooted in a narrow path. Across Hwy 60, additional trees were|down across an apartment complex along N Cliff Colony Drive. The|tornado then went over the lake/water where numerous eye-witness|(video) accounts were starting to come in. The next point of|damage was near the west-end of Basin Road where several trees|were snapped or uprooted. The tornado continued to travel|generally north going over mostly water and an uninhabited|bluff/island. Significant damage occurred over The Bluffs along|Cochran Road and Willow Trace. Here, at least 5-7 residences had|several large trees snapped or uprooted. Thankfully, no|structural damage happened. In this area, and back early in the|tornado's track, tree damage is consistent with peak winds around|90 MPH (an EF1) rating.
Wires down near the intersection of big ben road and boardtown road.
Two tree down near the intersection of lucious road and highway 515.
Several trees down near the intersection of lucious road and boardtown road.
Multiple trees down along rockhouse road near salacoa road.
Estimated quarter-sized hail near the intersection of pettit road and henderson mountain road.
Tree down at sourwood lane and w hwy 78 .
Tree down on lovvorn rd and ingram rd .
Two trees downed across roadway along liberty rd.
Powerline downed across roadway on 5800 block of tyree rd.
Tree down across roadway at intersection of dorsett shoals rd and yeager rd.
Tree downed across roadway on 8100 block of thompson st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2025Warnings in Georgia, May 2025
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: 1265297, 1265298, 1265307, 1265315, 1265313, 1265312, 1267987, 1265308, 1265310, 1265311, 1265301, 1265314, 1265299, 1265300, 1265302, 1265303, 1265304, 1265305.