Tropical Storm — Thomas, Georgia

2008-08-22 to 2008-08-24 · Thomas, Georgia

Event narrative

Rainfall from Fay ranged from 16 to nearly 28 inches in Thomasville. Numerous downed trees and power lines were reported throughout the county. Eleven homes in the Plantation Woods subdivision near Thomasville were inundated by flood waters, some with as much as five feet inside. Several other homes were damaged or destroyed by fallen trees. Several Thomasville businesses and public facilities were affected by the flooding. A few county roads were washed out. U.S. Highway 84 flooded near the Grady County line. Four vehicles passed state patrol road blocks and were swept away by flood waters. All six occupants were rescued. Over 5,000 residents were affected by power outages. A state of emergency was declared by the Governor.

Wider weather episode

Tropical Storm Fay, which came ashore along the northeast Florida coast, moved slowly westward toward the Florida Panhandle from the 22nd through the 24th. The rain bands from Fay produced sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph with frequent gusts over 45 mph. These winds downed numerous trees and power lines throughout most of southwest and south central Georgia. Rainfall amounts associated with the western semicircle of Fay's circulation generally averaged from one to three inches. However, as Fay moved into the Florida Panhandle on the 23rd, it tapped into Gulf of Mexico moisture, which resulted in excessive rainfall on its east side. Storm total rainfall during the 48-hour period from noon on the 22nd through the 24th varied from four to as much as 27.50 inches at Thomasville. Much of this area experienced severe drought conditions, with low stream flows. Nonetheless, the high volume of runoff resulted in minor to moderate flooding on many of the stem rivers and creeks. The maximum sustained wind and peak wind measured was at Bainbridge on the 23rd. The lowest sea-level pressure recorded was 1003 millibars. A motorist was injured in Valdosta when a tree fell on his vehicle. A 12-year-old boy drowned when he was swept away by flood waters while playing near a drainage ditch in Cairo. Many area schools were closed on the 22nd and 25th. Many area farmers were faced with flattened corn crops, bent cotton plants and as many as 600 downed pecan trees. The following counties were declared disaster areas by the Governor: Baker, Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Grady, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Randolph, Seminole, and Thomas.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 133234. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.