Scattered thunderstorms may develop across north and central Georgia today, with a few storms capable of producing gusty winds. Widespread severe weather is not expected at this time.

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for north and central Georgia for Saturday, November 22.

Bonus for the more weather-curious among you … To read an article about interpreting a weather news report with some of the typical terminology defined, follow this link.

What is in the statement?

The statement gives the following details:

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia.

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight…

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible this morning and into the afternoon. A few storms may be capable of producing gusty winds, but widespread severe weather is not anticipated at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Sunday through Friday…

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

Another round of thunderstorms is expected Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

The following counties are included in the hazardous weather outlook:

Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Dodge, Dooly, Douglas, Emanuel, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Glascock, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, North Fulton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Rockdale, Schley, South Fulton, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Telfair, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson

What is meant by “isolated” and “scattered”?

The NWS defines “isolated” as follows:

A National Weather Service convective precipitation descriptor for a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch). Isolated is used interchangeably with few.

“Scattered” has the following definition:

When used to describe precipitation (for example: “scattered showers”) – Area coverage of convective weather affecting 30 percent to 50 percent of a forecast zone(s).

Isolated thunderstorms and scattered thunderstorms are two terms used to describe different distributions of thunderstorm activity within a particular area. The main difference lies in the extent of coverage and how the thunderstorms are spatially distributed:

Isolated Thunderstorms:

• Relatively rare and confined to a limited area
• Few and far between with significant gaps
• Typically cover less than 20% of the forecast area
• Can still produce intense conditions like heavy rain, lightning, gusty winds, or hail

Scattered Thunderstorms:

• More widespread, covering 30% to 50% of the area
• Numerous individual storms develop but remain non-continuous
• Still leave gaps between storms – not everyone in the area will experience one

About the National Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. Their goal is to create a Weather-Ready Nation, capable of responding to weather-related hazards.