ZTL ASSOCIATE HDOF CTLR ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE WX RELATED ACR DEV WITH ZID AND ZTL RADAR CTLR WITHOUT RESOLUTION BTWN THE 2 FACILITY CTLRS AND THE ACR.

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ACR X WAS SBOUND TRANSITIONING FROM ZID TO ZTL AIRSPACE. DURING A PERIOD OF HIGH VOLUME AND MODERATE TO HIGH COMPLEXITY; ZID INITIATED AN AUTOMATED HDOF TO ZTL. BECAUSE WE WERE SO BUSY; THE HDOF WAS NOT ACCEPTED PROMPTLY AND ZID INITIATED A VOICE LINE CALL TO ACCOMPLISH THE HDOF. THE RADAR CTLR AT THE ZTL RECEIVING SECTOR ANSWERED THE CALL AND TOLD THE ZID CTLR TO PUT ACR X ON A 205 DEG HDG (FOR TFC) AND TO ADVISE US IF THE ACFT WAS UNABLE (DUE TO PROX OF WX W OF THE ACFT). THE GND TRACK WAS APPROX 165 OR 170 DEGS AT THAT TIME. A SHORT TIME LATER (45-90 SECONDS; I THINK); THE ZID CTLR CALLED BACK. SINCE I WAS WORKING THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS; I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY ANSWER THE LINE; PREFERRING THAT THE RADAR CTLR OR THE COORDINATOR/TRACKER TAKE THE CALL; SINCE I WAS NOT 'UP-TO-DATE' ON THE RADAR SIT. WHEN NEITHER OF THE OTHER CTLRS ON THE SECTOR TOOK THE CALL; I ANSWERED THE LINE WHEN THE ZID CTLR CALLED A SECOND TIME. THE ZID CTLR ADVISED THAT THE ACFT COULD NOT TURN TO A 205 DEG HDG. I ATTEMPTED TO QUICKLY SCAN THE RADAR SIT AND DETERMINE AN ALTERNATE PLAN. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF INDECISION (5-8 SECONDS OR S0; I TOLD THE ZID CTLR TO TURN THE ACFT L TO A 115 DEG HDG). SINCE THE ACFT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE SECTOR BOUNDARY AND THE AUTOMATED HDOF HAD STILL NOT BEEN COMPLETED; I ACCEPTED THE HDOF. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERED OUR AIRSPACE 'DEVIATING FOR WX;' AND NOT ON A HDG OF 115 DEGS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE ZID CTLR FAILED TO ISSUE THE CLRNC; OR THE PLT FAILED TO COMPLY WITH IT. NOTE: BECAUSE WE WERE SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED; MGMNT WAS UNABLE TO ALLOW ME TIME AWAY FROM THE POS TO COMPLETE THIS RPT UNTIL MORE THAN 6 HRS LATER. CONSEQUENTLY; MY RECOLLECTIONS ARE NOT AS CLR AS THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN.