Severe Weather Outbreak Expected West of Georgia Today

An outbreak of severe thunderstorms is expected this afternoon and evening across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, where the Storm Prediction Center has issued a Moderate Risk (level 4 of 5). While the main threat area is west of Georgia, this system needs to be closely monitored tomorrow for any lingering severe thunderstorms that may track into Georgia late Wednesday night through Thursday.

In the Moderate Risk area, tornadoes and strong damaging winds are likely, including the potential for strong (EF2+) tornadoes and significant gusts over 75 mph. The line is expected to move through Louisiana and Mississippi tomorrow afternoon and early evening. It is then forecast to move through Alabama as a weakening line of storms later tomorrow evening before entering western Georgia after midnight into early Thursday morning.

The main window for any strong to severe storms in Georgia would be early Thursday morning for western portions of the state and later Thursday morning and afternoon for the remainder of Georgia. SPC has issued a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) for most of Georgia on Wednesday evening through Thursday evening. A cold front will bring gradual clearing from west to east throughout the day on Thursday before pushing the broken line of storms off the coast Thursday evening.

Storms coming today and next week!

A strong storm system will move through Georgia today, bringing the potential for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Damaging thunderstorm winds and a few tornadoes will be the primary threats with any severe thunderstorms that develop.

A squall line will begin to move through North and Central Georgia within the next couple of hours, and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings could be issued with this line. The severe weather risk appears to be greatest this afternoon and evening across southern Georgia, particularly in Southwest Georgia, where the Storm Prediction Center has issued an Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5). These storms will likely develop later this afternoon and evening and could produce strong damaging winds, large hail, and potentially strong tornadoes. Thunderstorm activity should diminish by late this evening.

As the cold front moves through Georgia tomorrow, some redevelopment of strong to severe thunderstorms is possible across southeastern Georgia. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) for strong winds, isolated tornadoes, and large hail tomorrow across southeastern Georgia.

Another strong storm system is expected to move through Georgia on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday next week. A lot of uncertainty still exists in the forecast, but strong to severe thunderstorms appear possible again mid-week. Please stay tuned to forecast updates from your local National Weather Service office for the storms today and tomorrow as well as next week’s system.

Will Lanxton
Meteorologist
GEMA/HS

Severe and Winter Weather Likely Friday and Saturday

A strong low-pressure system will move across the Southeast tomorrow and Saturday, bringing severe weather to South and Central Georgia and winter weather to North Georgia.

Showers and storms will start to overspread southern Georgia throughout the day tomorrow. A few of these storms could be strong during the day, but the greatest severe weather threat will be late Friday night through Saturday morning. These thunderstorms overnight Friday into Saturday morning could pose a significant damaging wind and tornado threat. The Storm Prediction Center has issued an Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5) for portions of southern Georgia, indicating confidence that a severe weather event will occur Friday night and Saturday morning across southern Georgia and potentially into Central Georgia.

Behind the cold front, some accumulating snowfall is expected across far northern Georgia on Saturday morning. A rain/snow mix is likely to move into Northwest Georgia after midnight and continue across the higher elevations throughout Saturday morning. Snowfall amounts of up to 1 inch are possible across far North Georgia with higher amounts possible in the highest elevations.

Please continue to monitor the forecast from your local National Weather Service office. With the potential for severe thunderstorms to move through during the overnight hours, please ensure that you are able to receive warnings while asleep via weather apps, NOAA weather radios, and/or Wireless Emergency Alerts.

It’s fixin’ to be rainy season, and March is flood safety month! Read more on ready.gov

https://www.ready.gov/floods

Free Webinar: Preservation Activities at NARA and at the Tennessee State Archives Feb. 24

https://www.statearchivists.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=f3908bc3-4c41-461b-8c45-a33547c1c690&Home=%2fprograms-education%2fupcoming-events

From site: Allison Olson NARA’s Director of Preservation Programs will provide an overview of NARA’s Preservation Strategy and its recent accomplishments. As the National Archives seeks to serve more customers in a fast-changing and information-overloaded era, Preservation Programs has adopted four major themes to cultivate the success of NARA’s mission. In the broad categories of understanding the risks at play, producing high quality products, enhancing heritage science, and enabling our talented workforce, Preservation Programs is leading in improved preservation practice and relevance to NARA’s goals.  The Preservation Strategy was adopted in 2019, after several years of planning, and will be in effect through 2024.
Emily Farek, the Conservation Manager from the Tennessee State Library and Archives will share how the Conservation Lab has developed and allowed for improved treatment capabilities in its space in the newly built Library & Archives building. She will also describe the work being done to create policies, understand a new building environment, and make the space work the best it can for the preservation needs of the collection.

Miscommunication: Some Lessons Learned

A snowstorm on Jan. 3, 2022 trapped hundreds of people overnight on Interstate 95 in Virginia. This WP article talks about 6 key issues that were identified that caused the fracas. Thankfully no snow predicted in GA!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/01/27/takeaways-i95-shutdown/

Last day of Georgia Severe Weather Preparedness Week

It has almost felt like spring here in Atlanta, which can serve as a reminder that one of our most rainy times is approaching! As we end Georgia Severe Weather Preparedness Week, tale a moment to review flood preparedness – a danger to collections and people. Might be a good time for a roof inspection also!

https://linktr.ee/hera.atlanta

It’s Georgia Severe Weather Preparedness Week! February 7-11, 2022

Severe weather is no stranger to our state. The past few years have brought a number of higher-impact severe weather events to the region, including the devastating EF-4 Newnan Tornado (March 25-26, 2021), and the major Easter 2020 Tornado Outbreak. 

Tuesday focuses on Thunderstorm Safety. Check out the NWS page on thunderstorm safety and HERA’s Resource Page for other preparedness links.

https://linktr.ee/hera.atlanta

February is Earthquake Awareness Month!

Although Georgia is not thought to be a state with major faultline activity, we are right close to the Brevard fault. The last New Madrid (MO) earthquake made the Mississippi river run backward. While Georgia may be hundreds of miles away from this seismic zone, we will still feel the aftereffects. CUSEC – the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, is hosting A Facebook Live Event Part 2: Are You Ready for an Earthquake? Part 2: Earthquake & Financial Preparedness on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022 AT 11 AM EST. https://fb.me/e/1izI2vE9r

Upcoming webinar: 2021 Hurricane Season Preparations for U.S. Gulf Coast Cultural Institutions, May 6, 2021

Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA), Houston Arts Alliance (HAA), the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) are partnering to present a webinar: 2021 Hurricane Season Preparations for U.S. Gulf Coast Cultural Institutions on May 6, 2021 at 2 pm CT with speakers from NOAA, the Red Cross, NCPTT, and TX-CERA.

Join us on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 2:00 PM CT to review the 2021 U.S. Gulf Coast hurricane season, preparations, and response for cultural institutions. Dan Reilly, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at National Weather Service Houston/Galveston, will discuss the upcoming hurricane season and hurricane preparedness with content about the specific risks from wind, rain, flooding, and tornadoes that are associated with hurricanes in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Jason Church, Chief of Technical Services at the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT), will discuss preparing buildings and collections in the event of a storm. Richard McAlister, MSSM, Spokesperson & Meteorologist for the American Red Cross of Central and South Texas, will discuss personal safety and resilience. Steve Pine, Senior Conservator of Decorative Arts, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA), will moderate this webinar hosted by NCPTT and Houston Art Alliance.

Register for the 2021 Hurricane Preparations.. Webinar at this link https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t-FBT0kcRRypmn_TaSvv2g

Program details: 2021 Hurricane Season Preparations for U.S. Gulf Coast Cultural Institutions https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/2021-hurricane-season-preparations-for-u-s-gulf-coast-cultural-institutions.htm