Strong thunderstorms were moving through several Georgia counties Thursday afternoon, with weather alerts warning of damaging wind gusts, lightning, and heavy rain across a wide stretch of the state.
What’s happening: Four Special Weather Statements were active as of early Thursday afternoon, covering counties in east-central and southeast Georgia, along with portions of South Carolina. The alerts were issued based on Doppler radar tracking the storms.
The alerts, by area:
- Lincoln, McDuffie, Columbia, and Richmond counties: A storm near Camak or Warrenton was moving northeast at 15 mph as of 1:48 p.m. Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph were possible, along with frequent lightning. Communities in the path include Thomson, Harlem, and Dearing. Interstate 20 between mile markers 166 and 183 was included. This alert was set to expire at 2:15 p.m.
- Wilkes, Taliaferro, Hancock, and Warren counties: A storm over Norwood or near Warrenton was moving northeast at 5 mph as of 1:28 p.m. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph, up to penny-sized hail, heavy rain, and frequent lightning were all possible. Communities in the path include Washington, Warrenton, Crawfordville, and Norwood. Temporary street flooding was possible in areas where water drains poorly. This alert was set to expire at 2:15 p.m.
- Lincoln, Columbia, and Richmond counties in Georgia, plus McCormick and Edgefield counties in South Carolina: A storm over Grovetown was moving north at 15 mph as of 1:09 p.m. Wind gusts up to 50 mph and frequent lightning were expected. Communities in the path include North Augusta, Grovetown, Evans, Martinez, and Augusta. Interstates 20 and 520 in the Augusta area were included, along with Interstate 20 just across the state line in South Carolina. Boaters on Lake Strom Thurmond were told to get to safe harbor. This alert was set to expire at 2:15 p.m.
- Inland Nassau, Inland Camden, and Charlton counties in southeast Georgia: A storm near Folkston was moving west at 5 mph as of 1:29 p.m. Wind gusts around 40 mph were possible. Communities in the path include Folkston, Homeland, and Kings Ferry. This alert was set to expire at 2:00 p.m.
What’s important: None of these storms met the threshold for a severe thunderstorm warning, but all carried the potential for wind strong enough to knock down tree limbs and toss unsecured objects. Lightning was a concern across most of the affected areas. Lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from a storm, even in areas that appear clear.
How this affects real people: Anyone outdoors in these counties should get inside a building or vehicle immediately. Drivers should slow down and watch for standing water on roads, which can cause vehicles to hydroplane. Boaters on Lake Strom Thurmond should not wait out the storm on the water.
The path forward: These storms were moving at varying speeds, with some tracking slowly enough to drop heavy rain over the same areas for an extended period. Residents in the affected counties should monitor conditions closely, as additional alerts could follow if storms strengthen or new cells develop.
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