Issued at 5:31 a.m., the warning is for later tonight and is primarily concerned with a possibility of high winds in north Georgia, with gusts of 25 mph to 30 mph. There is a warning of severe thunderstorms and a possibility of tornadoes in parts of Georgia, but this concern is primarily situated around central Georgia.
The warning states:
Day one ... today and tonight -- Isolated severe thunderstorms possible across southern portions of Central Georgia.
Synopsis -- A very strong upper-level low will move rapidly from north central Texas this morning to western Pennsylvania Friday. Meanwhile, a large Canadian surface high will nose down the eastern side of the Appalachians into north Georgia. The upper trough and associated cold front will sweep through north and central Georgia tonight.
Primary hazards -- The primary hazard tonight ... across mainly the far southern counties of central Georgia south of a line from Columbus to Vidalia ... will be isolated tornadoes. Within this area ... the main threat for isolated tornadoes will be south of a line from Fort Benning to Americus. The greatest threat for this will be between 10 p.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday.
Wind gusts of 25 mph to 30 mph will be possible from late Thursday afternoon through the overnight hours, especially in north Georgia.
Discussion -- A very strong upper-level trough was digging sharply into north Texas early Thursday morning. This system will continue to intensify and take on a negative tilt as the day progresses and the system lifts northeast into the Western Tennesee Valley. Meanwhile, in response a significant cold air wedge will be developing from the mid-Atlantic southwestward into north and central Georgia today.
A narrow cone of warm, moist Gulf air could push as far north as Columbus and Vienna (around the same time as the cold air wedge) ... creating a significantly more unstable surface air mass ... thus the potential for isolated tornadoes in these areas (central Georgia) cannot be ruled out.
It should be noted that if the wedge front remains further south ... keeping the colder stable air in place across the southern portions of Central Georgia ... then the threat for severe thunderstorms will also be further south of this area.
Further north ... including Atlanta and Athens ... the air mas will be too cold and stable for severe thunderstorms.
Friday -- Strong, gusty winds will also be possible across much of north and central Georgia early Friday.
In other weather news:
Today: Rain likely after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. East wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tonight: Periods of rain, mainly before 1am. Low around 36. South wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Friday: Cloudy through mid morning, then becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 47. West wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 58.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Nation al Weather Service
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