Could a Hurricane make it to Atlanta Georgia?

[Wnghs2007]

Could a Storng Hurricane keep its strength and possibly make it to atlanta Georgia as a Hurricane or atleast a strong tropical storm? I would just like to think.

[Aslkahuna]

I believe that Hurricane Opal in 1995 did precisely that. The key is not so much strength at landfall but how fast the storm is moving since a fast moving storm will retain intensity well inland such as Carla in OK in 1961 and Hazel into Canada in 1954.

Steve

[Anonymous]

Yes they can stay pretty strong well inland one example is Opal in 1995... The power crews in Valdosta, Ga had to send people to the Atlanta area to help with massive power outages
http://www.weather.unisys.com/hurricane ... /track.gif

[Guest]

Camille & Frederick kept their hurricane strength well inland too.

[Hurricanehink]

Hmm, that seems possible. It would have to move fairly quickly, but not so quickly that it would be extratropical. Some have made it there as a tropical storm. This one made it really close to Atlanta as a hurricane.

[FWBHurricane]

I remember Opal doing that. She cruved up and went through northern Alabama, causing a few morth deaths. 50 in Mexico, 1 in Florida, and a few in Alabama i cant remember how much.

[Stormsfury]

Case in point, was Hurricane Hugo, which was downgraded to a tropical storm around Charlotte, but that didn't prevent heavy damage in the area since it was moving at forward speeds of 25-30 mph ... winds in the Charlotte area were clocked at 70 mph sustained, with 90 mph gusts. Hugo remained a hurricane throughout its trek across South Carolina (some 200 miles inland) ...



Hurricane Hugo Wind Profile Chart thru South Carolina (and into North Carolina) ... shaded green area indicates where peak winds were over 80 mph ...

[Brent]

DEFINTELY! Opal comes to mind immediately. We were living in a small town about 90 miles southwest of Atlanta at the time, 300 miles from the coast and we had winds slightly over hurricane force for several hours. Lots of tree and powerline damage. Opal was moving at 20-25 mph however and it was only a marginal 3 at landfall. Just imagine what a 4 or 5 could do at that speed.

HURRICANE OPAL INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 29B
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
8 PM CDT WED OCT 04 1995

... HURRICANE OPAL INLAND....EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN...

HURRICANE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FROM ANCLOTE KEY ON THE WEST COAST
OF FLORIDA TO THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM THE
MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WESTWARD TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA
INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS.

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ARE ALSO IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH OF ANCLOTE KEY
TO VENICE FLORIDA.

HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS WILL GRADUALLY BE
DISCONTINUED LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY.

AT 8 PM CDT...0100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPAL WAS NEAR LATITUDE
31.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.7. WEST ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTH OF
MONTGOMERY ALABAMA.

OPAL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 22 MPH. ON THIS
TRACK...THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FURTHER
INLAND INTO ALABAMA TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED TO NEAR 100 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. A GRADUAL WEAKENING WILL CONTINUE.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 145 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 260
MILES. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO EXTEND WELL INLAND
ALONG THE TRACK OF OPAL. HIGH WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE BEING
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN THE AFFECTED AREAS.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 960 MB...28.34 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF UP TO 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...HAVE LIKELY
OCCURRED EAST OF PENSACOLA. STORM SURGE AND WAVES SHOULD BEGIN TO
DECREASE DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE
PATH OF THE HURRICANE. THIS WILL AGGRAVATE FLOODING...PARTICULARLY
IN THE APPALACHIANS.

A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...
SOUTHERN ALABAMA...SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...AND EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN
GEORGIA.

REPEATING THE 8 PM CDT POSITION...31.3 N... 86.7 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NORTHEAST NEAR 22 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...100
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 960 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
10 PM CDT.

HURRICANE OPAL ADVISORY NUMBER 30
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
10 PM CDT WED OCT 04 1995

...OPAL WELL INLAND AND GRADUALLY WEAKENING...

HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM ANCLOTE KEY ON THE WEST
COAST OF FLORIDA TO MOBILE.

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH OF ANCLOTE KEY
TO VENICE FLORIDA.

AT 10 PM CDT 0300Z TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS AND A HURRICANE WATCH
FROM WEST OF MOBILE ARE DISCONTINUED.

AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPAL WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 31.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.2 WEST OR ABOUT 25 MILES
SOUTH OF MONTGOMERY ALABAMA.

OPAL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NORTHEAST NEAR 23 MPH AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 85 MPH. A GRADUAL
WEAKENING SHOULD CONTINUE.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES TO THE
SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD
UP TO 260 MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER. HIGH WIND WATCHES
AND WARNINGS ARE BEING ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN
THE AFFECTED AREAS.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF UP TO 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
TIDE LEVELS WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE ALONG THE COAST FROM THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE TO THE APALACHEE BAY.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE
PATH OF THE HURRICANE. THIS WILL COMPOUND THE POTENTIAL FOR
FLOODING...PARTICULARLY IN THE APPALACHIANS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN ALABAMA...AND GEORGIA.

REPEATING THE 10 PM CDT POSITION...31.9 N... 86.2 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NORTHEAST NEAR 23 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 85
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 970 MB.

INTERMEDIATE ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT MIDNIGHT CDT AND 2 AM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE
ADVISORY ISSUANCE AT 4 AM CDT...THURSDAY.

HURRICANE OPAL INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 30A
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
MIDNIGHT CDT THU OCT 05 1995

...OPAL CONTINUES MOVING INLAND AND WEAKENING...

AT MIDNIGHT CDT...HURRICANE WARNINGS ARE DISCONTINUED FROM ANCLOTE
KEY ON THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA TO MOBILE...AND TROPICAL STORM
WARNINGS ARE DISCONTINUED FROM SOUTH OF ANCLOTE KEY TO VENICE
FLORIDA.

INTERESTS ALONG THE GULF OF MEXICO NORTHEAST COAST SHOULD CONTINUE
TO EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE.

AT MIDNIGHT CDT...0400Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPAL WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 32.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.5 WEST OR ABOUT 25 MILES
NORTH OF MONTGOMERY ALABAMA.(This was the closest point to us, about 60 miles to the west-southwest, we were in the right front quadrant )

OPAL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NORTHEAST NEAR 23 MPH AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

THE MAXWELL AFB DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE
NEAR 75 MPH. WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AS OPAL MOVES
FURTHER INLAND.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE CONFINED TO A SMALL DISTANCE NEAR THE
CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 75 MILES
FROM THE CENTER. INLAND HIGH WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE BEING
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN THE AFFECTED AREAS.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING IS GRADUALLY SUBSIDING ALONG THE
NORTHEAST COAST OF THE GULF OF MEXICO.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE
PATH OF THE HURRICANE. THIS WILL COMPOUND THE POTENTIAL FOR
FLOODING...PARTICULARLY IN THE APPALACHIANS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN ALABAMA...AND GEORGIA.

REPEATING THE MIDNIGHT CDT POSITION...32.5 N... 86.5 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NORTHEAST NEAR 23 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 75
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 970 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
4 AM CDT.

TROPICAL STORM OPAL ADVISORY NUMBER 31
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
4 AM CDT THU OCT 05 1995

...OPAL MOVING FURTHER INLAND AND WEAKENING...

ALL COASTAL WARNINGS WERE DISCONTINUED AT MIDNIGHT CDT. COASTAL
INTERESTS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE.
INLAND HIGH WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE BEING ISSUED BY NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICES IN THE AFFECTED AREAS.

AT 4 AM CDT...0900Z...THE CENTER OF OPAL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
34.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.8 WEST OR ABOUT 55 MILES EAST OF
HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA.

OPAL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 25 MPH AND IS EXPECTED TO MOVE
OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES IN ABOUT 24 HOURS..

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH AND OPAL IS EXPECTED TO
WEAKEN TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES
...165 KM FROM THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 975 MB...28.79 INCHES.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY ALONG THE
PATH OF THE STORM...WITH UP TO 5 INCHES LOCALLY OVER PORTIONS OF
THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTH AND NORTH
CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA.

REPEATING THE 4 AM CDT POSITION...34.7 N... 85.8 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 25 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 40 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 975 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 10 AM CDT.

[HURAKAN]

Very possible, but that will depend on the speed of motion and the strenght of the hurricane.

Sandy Delgado

[Josephine96]

KC... What everyone said is true.. Yes it can.. but it would depend on the storms' speed and it's forward motion.. as well as strength

[wxman57]

I would direct you to the NHC web site wind risk pages:

Inland Wind Decay graphic:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/wi ... ecay.shtml

Inland Wind Graphic Generator:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/wi ... reas.shtml

Cat 4 Hurricane from SE:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/wind/se_144.shtml

Atlanta is 250 miles inland. A hurricane traveling at 20 mph would lose over half its intensity in that distance, so it would have to start out with winds greater than 150 mph to maintain hurricane intensity all the way to Atlanta.

One of you mentioned hurricane force winds near Atlanta with Opal, but that may have been wind gusts and not 1-minute sustained winds.

[Brent]

Well... the center of Opal passed 80 miles west of Atlanta, by my point was, had it gone east of there it would have still been a hurricane(Opal was a hurricane until it got into North Alabama, north of where Atlanta is). So, if it had made landfall in say Panama City, moved NE, and certainly had it been stronger it could defintely make it.

[george_r_1961]

If i remember correctly Camille stikll packed a hell of a wallop as she passed over southeast VA on her way out into the atlantic. I was 8 years old at the time

[Dan]

being the weather fanatic that I am, watching inland penetration of tropical systems has always been of interest to me. I live approx. 280 miles from the South Carolina Coastline (Charleston). Here in Western North Carolina I have experienced two major Hurricanes that have caused significant damage in my area, Hugo and Opal. Hugo was the worst of the two because of the shorter distance to travel. The thing is, a hurricane like Hugo, coming inland from the southeast is somewhat of a rare thing for South Carolina. Seems like over the last 5-10 years, the major storms have steered east and either give a brushing or a complete miss. The last major storm to come inland in South Carolina was Hugo back in 89. The Palmetto State is due for another direct hit.

Signs are today that this may be a hot and dry summer for us in the south. History usually shows that hot and dry summer end up having a significant ending.

[Aslkahuna]

was downgraded as it tracked inland across TN into VA. The system resulted in some extreme rainfall amounts in VA. The early morning analysis showed a clear cut center with Camille as it emerged from the mountains of VA and the system began to reintensify as it approached the Chesapeake Bay regain TS intensity once it hit the water just east of Hampton VA and SE VA was lashed by TS force winds. I worked that storm as a forecaster at Langley AFB being on the mid shift as all **** broke loose in VA with massive floods.

Steve

[Stormsfury]

Hink, that's the last major hurricane that directly impacted (made landfall on) the Georgia coastline. Yep, it's been 106 years since the last major hurricane struck the Georgia coastline ...

Hmm, that seems possible. It would have to move fairly quickly, but not so quickly that it would be extratropical. Some have made it there as a tropical storm. This one made it really close to Atlanta as a hurricane.

[george_r_1961]

was downgraded as it tracked inland across TN into VA. The system resulted in some extreme rainfall amounts in VA. The early morning analysis showed a clear cut center with Camille as it emerged from the mountains of VA and the system began to reintensify as it approached the Chesapeake Bay regain TS intensity once it hit the water just east of Hampton VA and SE VA was lashed by TS force winds. I worked that storm as a forecaster at Langley AFB being on the mid shift as all **** broke loose in VA with massive floods.

Steve

I was raised in Hampton and currently live in Newport News. Ive been to Langley many times