An unusually strong upper trough was sweeping through the Great Lakes and Northeast from the 2nd into the 3rd of August.  This was pushing an equally unusually strong cold front for early August into the southeast U.S.  This front combined with a very warm humid air mass, partially a result of the lingering remnants of Hurricane Dolly, to result in the development of numerous strong to severe thunderstorms in far north Georgia during the mid to late afternoon hours.  Thunderstorms across north Georgia merged into a near solid arched band of thunderstorms which raced southward during the evening hours into the Atlanta metropolitan area.  Large hail and intense cloud-to-ground lightning accompanied the thunderstorms in north Georgia.  Leading outflow winds produced a wind gust of 71 mph at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport as the thunderstorms came through around 730 pm EDT.  The thunderstorms subsequently diminished as they pushed further south of the Atlanta area, but redeveloped once again into strong to severe thunderstorms during the late evening as the outflow boundary pushed into the Macon area and nearby counties.  Numerous reports of downed trees were received from many north and central Georgia counties as a result of these thunderstorms.

Thunderstorm Wind in MACON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 21:05:00 to 02-AUG-08 21:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: GARDEN VLY
Magnitude: 54.00 EG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Macon County 911 Center reported that several trees were blown down in the Garden Valley area.  Radar data showed a significant downburst occurred in this region.

Hail in TWIGGS, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 20:41:00 to 02-AUG-08 20:44:00 (EST-5)
Location: REIDS
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

An amateur radio operator reported quarter-sized hail on the Bibb/Twiggs county line, just west-southwest of Dry Branch.

Hail in MURRAY, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 14:55:00 to 02-AUG-08 14:58:00 (EST-5)
Location: CISCO
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A storm spotter observed nickel-sized hail.

Hail in HALL, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 17:05:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: GAINESVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public observed quarter-sized hail on the southwest and south side of Gainesville.

Thunderstorm Wind in BIBB, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 20:25:00 to 02-AUG-08 20:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: MACON
Magnitude: 48.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public reported that at least two large trees were blown down south of Macon.  One of the downed trees caused roof damage to a home.

Hail in BIBB, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 20:40:00 to 02-AUG-08 20:42:00 (EST-5)
Location: FRANKLINTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

An amateur radio operator reported quarter-sized hail in extreme southeast Bibb county along the Twiggs county line, west-southwest of Dry Branch.

Thunderstorm Wind in SPALDING, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 19:08:00 to 02-AUG-08 19:35:00 (EST-5)
Location: GRIFFIN
Magnitude: 37.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Spalding County 911 Center reported that a couple of power lines were down in the county.

Thunderstorm Wind in UPSON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 20:00:00 to 02-AUG-08 20:05:00 (EST-5)
Location: THE ROCK
Magnitude: 54.00 EG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The Upson County Emergency Management Director reported that more than a dozen trees were down in The Rock area, some causing damage to homes and vehicles.

Thunderstorm Wind in CLAYTON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 18:39:00 to 02-AUG-08 18:39:00 (EST-5)
Location: ATLANTA HARTSFIELD I
Magnitude: 62.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

The Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport ASOS located in extreme northwest Clayton county recorded a wind gust of 71 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind in NEWTON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 19:00:00 to 02-AUG-08 19:08:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALMON
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Newton County 911 Center reported that a few trees were down west of Covington.  A couple of roads were blocked from downed trees.  The public estimated winds at 65 mph, but radar data did not indicate winds supportive of this speed.

Hail in WALTON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 18:30:00 to 02-AUG-08 18:34:00 (EST-5)
Location: SOCIAL CIRCLE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public observed penny-sized hail in the Social Circle area.

Thunderstorm Wind in FAYETTE, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 19:00:00 to 02-AUG-08 19:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: FAYETTEVILLE
Magnitude: 60.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The Fayette County Emergency Management Director and the county 911 center reported that dozens of large trees were down between Fayetteville and Peachtree City to areas just south of Fayetteville.  All lanes of Georgia Highway 54 were closed near Whitewater Creek and one lane of Georgia Highway 85 was blocked about three miles south of Fayetteville.

Thunderstorm Wind in DE KALB, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 18:20:00 to 02-AUG-08 18:28:00 (EST-5)
Location: DECATUR
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The DeKalb County 911 Center reported that dozens of trees were down in the western part of the county near Decatur.

Thunderstorm Wind in COBB, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 17:45:00 to 02-AUG-08 18:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: ACWORTH
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public reported that dozens of trees were blown down from Acworth, to Kennesaw, especially in the Red Top Mountain Estates located southwest of Acworth in the far northwest part of the county.  Doppler base velocity wind data indicated inbound values in excess of 60 mph across much of the eastern two-thirds of the county.

Hail in NEWTON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 19:00:00 to 02-AUG-08 19:04:00 (EST-5)
Location: COVINGTON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Newton County 911 Center relayed a report of penny-sized hail west of Covington.

Thunderstorm Wind in BARTOW, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 17:45:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:52:00 (EST-5)
Location: EMERSON
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Bartow County 911 Center reported that several trees and power lines were down in the Lake Allatoona area in the southeast part of the county.

Hail in FULTON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 18:19:00 to 02-AUG-08 18:39:00 (EST-5)
Location: SANDY SPGS
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public observed nickel-sized hail northwest of Atlanta.  Radar data supports that penny to nickel-sized hail likely fell further north around Sandy Springs as well.

Thunderstorm Wind in FULTON, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 18:20:00 to 02-AUG-08 18:39:00 (EST-5)
Location: ATLANTA
Magnitude: 62.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

An amateur radio operator relayed a report that numerous large trees were down across the Georgia Tech campus, just northwest of Atlanta.  Some of the trees were up to two feet in diameter.  A wind gust of 71 mph was measured at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport just along the Fulton/Clayton county line at 739 pm EDT.

Hail in GILMER, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 15:45:00 to 02-AUG-08 16:01:00 (EST-5)
Location: ELLIJAY
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A storm spotter observed nickel-sized hail in northwest Gilmer county.  Radar data suggests that hail of similar size likely fell southward of this point near the Murray county line into west central and southwest Gilmer county as well.

Hail in GILMER, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 16:35:00 to 02-AUG-08 16:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: TALONA
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public observed quarter-sized hail in the southwest corner of Gilmer county near Carter's Lake.

Hail in PICKENS, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 16:20:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:02:00 (EST-5)
Location: BLAINE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 300.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public observed penny, quarter, and golf ball-sized hail in western Pickens county from the northwest corner to the southwest corner, west of Blaine.  Radar data suggests that hail of similar size likely fell all the way to the Cherokee county line in the southwest corner of the county.

Hail in GILMER, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 17:12:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:16:00 (EST-5)
Location: PLEASANT HILL
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Gilmer County 911 Center relayed a report of penny-sized hail from the far northwest part of the county in the Pleasant Hill area.  This was from yet another severe thunderstorm that tracked from north to south across the western part of the county.

Hail in MURRAY, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 16:22:00 to 02-AUG-08 16:31:00 (EST-5)
Location: CARTERS
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public observed nickel-sized hail on Carter's Lake in the far southeast corner of the county.  This was the same thunderstorm that was also producing hail in western Gilmer county.

Hail in CHEROKEE, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 16:35:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: WALESKA
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

WSB TV of Atlanta relayed a report of golf ball-sized hail from northwest Cherokee county, northwest of Waleska.  The Waleska Fire and Rescue Department as well as the public observed penny, nickel, and quarter-sized hail across northwest and west central Cherokee county, from northwest to southwest of Waleska and west of Canton.  Multiple thunderstorm cells tracked across the western two-thirds of the county during this time frame.

Thunderstorm Wind in CHEROKEE, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 17:30:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: CANTON
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director reported that thunderstorm downburst winds blew down dozens of trees on the east and north side of Lake Allatoona.  A number of trees were also down between the eastern side of Lake Allatoona and Woodstock as well.  Several campers were damaged at the Sweetwater Campground and one person at the campground sustained non-life threatening injuries when a large tree fell on their tent.  In addition, playground equipment was damaged at a park in Woodstock from a large downed tree.  Several roads were blocked from downed trees and many power lines and also down in the area.  Up to 25,000 people in the area were left without power for several hours following the storm.  The Cherokee Tribune reported that up to 134 homes in the area sustained at least minor damage from wind and/or lightning.

Lightning in CHEROKEE, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 17:25:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: CANTON
Property damage: 350.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director reported that an individual was struck by lightning seven miles southwest of Canton and sustained non life-threatening injuries.  In addition, two homes in the southwest and southern part of the county were struck by lightning and set on fire,  One of the homes was in the Towne Lake Subdivision on Players Court and was totally destroyed.  The Cherokee Tribune reported that up to 134 homes in the area sustained at least minor damage from wind and/or lightning.

Hail in COBB, GEORGIA
From 02-AUG-08 17:45:00 to 02-AUG-08 17:53:00 (EST-5)
Location: ACWORTH
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

An amateur radio operator reported penny-sized hail in the Kennesaw area.  The public observed penny-sized hail on the east side of Kennesaw at exit three on I-575, and a storm spotter observed hail in the far northeastern part of the county at the intersection of Johnson Ferry and Roswell Roads.