Thunderstorm Wind — Treutlen, Georgia

2011-03-09 · near Lothair, Treutlen, Georgia

Event narrative

The Treutlen County Emergency Management Director reported that a home in Soperton sustained minor damaged from straight-line thunderstorm winds. In addition, three trees were blown down near Lothair in the western part of the county.

Wider weather episode

A broad and highly diffluent upper trough was moving slowly through the south central U.S. into the eastern U.S. A pattern that became all too familiar across the U.S. during the later half of March and much of April. As the trough moved into the eastern U.S. during the 10th and 11th, it deepened significantly and took on a strong negative title across the eastern U.S. This system was associated with widespread severe weather and flooding across the Arklatex region, the lower Mississippi Valley, and the western Tennessee Valley region. As the system spread into Georgia, it also produced flooding, flash flooding, and severe weather. Widespread rain and thunderstorms spread across northwest Georgia late on the 8th and continued into the early morning hours of the 9th. This precipitation was culminated by a near solid north-south oriented squall line or quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) that tracked across north and central Georgia. The QLCS entered west Georgia around 9 am and tracked into east Georgia during the early afternoon. Moderate to heavy rain continued behind this QLCS into the afternoon across northwest Georgia, finally ending by evening. Rainfall of four to five inches was common across northwest Georgia from LaFayette, to Calhoun, to Cedartown, and Buchanan. Several flash flood and flood events were observed in this part of the state.

As the squall line or QLCS moved into central and east Georgia it began to form bowing segments and line-echo-wave patterns (LEWPs) resulting in several damaging wind events across this part of the state. Fortunately, no tornadoes were observed with this event.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.3500, -82.6671)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 287893. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.