It was a stormy night in Georgia, driving north on I-75. I hadn't seen a lightning show like this one in some time. I was quite awe struck by the lightning. . . and just miserable enough with the trip to drive right into the storm despite nature's ample warning to take cover. I started seeing the lightning at dusk, at least an hour before I got into the heaviest weather.
I was a little apprehensive about driving through this storm, but I was intent on getting to my destination so I drove right through it.
Once I finally encountered the storm and was in the heavy rain, it didn't last long. Good for my driving. Bad for drought-ravaged Georgia.
The storm left a path of damage across the south. These images (Above and Below) are from Hamilton, Georgia, taken just before dark. Hamilton is located at 32.75° N., 84.87° W., about 74 miles west of Atlanta. This small town in Harris County (on the border with Alabama) is sparsely populated so the probability of severe injuries is lower than it would be in a more populous region.
Below: This storm was not unexpected. I knew I was driving into bad weather but I had little choice in the matter. The National Weather Service had been predicting severe thunderstorms for all of Georgia yesterday.
STORM DAMAGE IN MISSISSIPPI
SHADY GROVE (Laurel), Mississippi — Up to 15 people were injured by what is believed to be a tornado that struck the northern half of Jones County, Mississippi early Wednesday morning. Initial reports indicate most of the damage is in the Shady Grove area, just north of Laurel.
This is very close to our homeplace in Covington County, Mississippi (a few miles to the west).
Jones County Emergency Managament Director Don McKinnon said 35 homes suffered damage in the county with as many as five deemed destroyed. Several businesses have also been destroyed or suffered some type of damage.Power lines and trees were down in the area along Trace Road, Bush Dairy Road, and Springhill Road, as well as other mainly northern portions of the county.
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