Preliminary totals show that 0.72 inches of rain were recorded at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport from 8 p.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Thursday, according to Laura Griffith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.
She said radar estimates show that parts of Gainesville could have received up to 1.25 inches of rain in that 24-hour period, and portions of northern Hall and Banks counties could have gotten as much as 1.96 inches. Griffith explained that radar estimates are based on what the radar "sees" during a storm and estimates how much rain should have fallen.
She cautioned that these estimates can be thrown off by various factors, including if any hail fell during a storm. None was reported in Hall.
Reports from the weather service’s observers in the area, which come in at 8 this morning, are the figures that are included in the official report, not the estimates, she said.
The main problem left in the wake of the storms that crossed the state was downed trees, Griffith said. There were three areas where trees were reported down in Gainesville: Montgomery Street, Pea Ridge Road and Spring Road, Griffith said.
Areas west of Hall County seemed to get hit harder by the storm, with reports of 1-inch hail and large trees toppled in Cherokee and 10 to 12 trees down in Dawson County, she said. In addition, Dawson’s emergency management director reported a canopy on the playground at Rock Creek Park was blown over, according to Griffith.
According to the Georgia State Patrol and Hall County Fire Services, there were some scattered wrecks around Hall County attributed to the weather, but none severe. Gainesville had some scattered calls for false alarms.
Though the amount of rain received in the storm and the lack of serious damage both may be good news, perhaps the even better news is that the overnight passage of the front will bring cooler weather.
Griffith said today’s high is expected to top at about 89, with highs in the mid-80s for the weekend and lows in the mid-60s. The weekend forecast puts the temperature a bit below the seasonal average of 90 for metro Atlanta in August.
"A welcomed below-normal temperature for summertime," Griffith said.
The best chance for rain, however, doesn’t come again until Tuesday.