Tornadoes, Severe Storms Strike North Georgia Monday Evening
Radar-indicated tornadoes and 60 mph wind gusts threatened dozens of north Georgia communities Monday evening as NWS Peachtree City issued a wave of warnings.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The National Weather Service office in Peachtree City issued multiple tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings across a wide area of north and central Georgia on the evening of June 22. A fast-moving line of powerful storms swept through the region with damaging wind gusts and the threat of tornadoes.
Tornado Warnings Issued for Dalton Area
NWS Peachtree City issued the first tornado warning at 6:46 p.m. EDT after radar detected rotation in a severe thunderstorm over Rocky Face, near Dalton, moving east at 35 mph. The warning remained in effect until 7:30 p.m. EDT.
Communities under that initial tornado warning included Dalton, Chatsworth, Varnell, Eton, Tunnel Hill, Crandall, Tails Creek, Sumac, Ramhurst, Rocky Face, Conasauga Lake, Mill Creek, Dawnville, and Fort Mountain State Park. Forecasters warned that flying debris would be dangerous to anyone caught without shelter, and that mobile homes could be damaged or destroyed, with additional damage expected to roofs, windows, vehicles, and trees.
A second tornado warning followed at 7:03 p.m. EDT as the same storm system, now located over Dawnville near Chatsworth and still moving east at 35 mph, continued to show radar-indicated rotation. That warning also expired at 7:30 p.m. EDT and covered Dalton, Chatsworth, Eton, Crandall, Conasauga Lake, Tails Creek, Dawnville, Sumac, Ramhurst, and Fort Mountain State Park.
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Extend Across Multiple Counties
At 7:09 p.m. EDT, NWS Peachtree City issued a severe thunderstorm warning for a storm over Hicks, approximately 10 miles southeast of Butler, moving east at 40 mph. That warning was set to expire at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
The hazard in that storm was radar-indicated wind gusts of 60 mph, with expected damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Communities in the path of that storm included Fort Valley, Marshallville, Reynolds, Ideal, Saint Louis, Whitewater State Park, Nakomis, Garden Valley, Winchester, Hicks, and Potterville.
Later in the evening, at 7:42 p.m. EDT, NWS Peachtree City issued a broader severe thunderstorm warning covering nine counties in north and north-central Georgia, effective until 8:30 p.m. EDT. At the time of issuance, severe thunderstorms were positioned along a line extending from Ivy Log to near Cherry Log to Nickelsville, racing east at 50 mph.
Nine Counties Affected in Final Warning
The counties included in the 7:42 p.m. warning were Towns County in northeastern Georgia, northwestern Lumpkin County, Gilmer County, southeastern Murray County, northwestern Dawson County, northeastern Gordon County, northern Pickens County, Union County, and eastern Fannin County.
The primary hazards in that storm system were radar-indicated wind gusts up to 60 mph and penny-size hail. Forecasters said residents should expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Specific communities in the warning zone included Jasper, Ellijay, Blue Ridge, Hiawassee, Blairsville, Young Harris, East Ellijay, Morganton, Talking Rock, Suches, and Amicalola.
All warnings were issued by the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City, Georgia, based on radar-indicated data. Residents in affected areas were advised to seek shelter immediately and stay away from windows during the storm activity.
