Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 66, NWS Jacksonville, FL
NWS Jacksonville, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 20, 2003, 9:40 AM EST for Atkinson County, Georgia. It was in force for 50 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 20, 2003, 9:40 AM EST (14:40 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 20, 2003, 10:30 AM EST
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS Jacksonville, FL
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Atkinson County, GA
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 8:40 AM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), launched 12:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 139 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1354 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -49 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 703 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 57 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 242 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 206 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.9
- Supercell composite
- 9.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUUS52 KJAX 201440 SVRJAX GAC003-201530- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 940 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... ATKINSON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA * UNTIL 1030 AM EST * AT 940 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. * SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THE STORMS THROUGH 1030 AM EST... PEARSON... AXSON... A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. REMEMBER... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. PREPARE TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN AN INTERIOR ROOM IN THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOUSE OR BUSINESS IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED. IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...GO INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AWAY FROM WINDOWS. REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH. LAT...LON 3123 8297 3118 8281 3132 8265 3138 8284 $$ BROYLES
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Mar 20, 9:25 AM EST, 15 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 9:25 AM EST, 15 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
925 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003
PUBLIC...WILL KEEP THIS BRIEF AS STRONG TO SVR STORMS NOW MOVING
INTO NW CWA (COUNTY WARNING AREA). TOR WATCH NUMBER 65 IN EFFECT TIL
3 PM FOR ALL OF SE GA ZONES. STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NE ALONG SQUALL
LINE WITH GOOD ROTATIONAL SIGNATURES (SOME ELEVATED). UPDATED ZONES
WITH NEW WATCH INFO...AS WELL AS INCREASES IN GA CLOUDS AND POPS AND
MINOR ADJUSTMENTS ELSEWHERE. 12Z SOUNDING SHOWS THAT REMAINDER OF
AREA COULD BECOME ACTIVE THIS AFTN...EVEN AS DYNAMIC ENERGY
SUPPORTING SQUALL LINE WANES. GOOD DRY AIR ALOFT...STRONG LOW-LEVEL
WINDS...LOW WET-BULB ZERO...AND MODERATE TO STRONG SHEAR POINT TO
SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS LATER TODAY.
MARINE...TOR WATCH INFO NOT ADDED TO MARINE FCST AS BOX DOESNT
COVER COASTAL WATERS IN OUR AREA. WILL BEEF UP WINDS IN MORNING
UPDATE OVER FL WATERS.
.JAX...
FL...SCA FERNANDINA BCH TO FLAGLER BCH OUT 60 NM.
GA...TORNADO WATCH #65 THRU 3 PM ALL ZONES.
SCA ALTAMAHA SOUND TO FERNANDINA BCH OUT 60 NM.
CARROLL/BROYLES/WELSH/KEEGAN/BOONEHazardous weather outlook, Mar 20, 9:10 AM EST, 30 minutes before
FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-202000- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 910 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA... ...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING POSSIBLE... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. ELSEWHERE SCATTERED STRONG AND ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. STORMS WILL MOVE TOWARD THE NORTHEAST. LOCALIZED FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED STRONG AND ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS THROUGH FRIDAY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE. AREA RIVERS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE NEAR OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH THE PERIOD. NO OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA COUNTIES. IN ADDITION...NORTHEAST FLORIDA SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO SELF-ACTIVATE IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED LATER TODAY. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAX. CARROLL
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 20, 8:11 AM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
GAZ132-133-201400- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 811 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT COFFEE AND JEFF DAVIS COUNTIES THROUGH 9 AM... AT 811 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 2 MILES EAST OF AMBROSE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND AMBROSE...BROXTON...PRIDGEN...DENTON...SNIPESVILLE AND HAZLEHURST THROUGH 900 AM EST. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA. BROYLES
Special weather statement, Mar 20, 8:40 AM EST, 1 hour before
GAZ149-201430- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 840 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWEST ATKINSON COUNTY THROUGH 930 AM... AT 840 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WILLACOOCHEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND WILLACOOCHEE THROUGH 930 AM EST. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA. BROYLES
Special weather statement, Mar 20, 9:22 AM EST, 18 minutes before
GAZ133>135-201500- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 922 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT APPLING...JEFF DAVIS...AND BACON COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 AM... AT 922 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRAHAM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND GRAHAM...PINE GROVE AND BAXLEY THROUGH 1000 AM EST. INTERESTS ON AND NEAR HIGHWAY 23 NORTH OF ALMA SHOULD ALSO BE PREPARED FOR THE STRONG STORMS. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA. BROYLES
Special weather statement, Mar 20, 9:26 AM EST, 14 minutes before
GAZ132-149-201515- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 926 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT ATKINSON COUNTY THROUGH 1015 AM... AT 926 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 4 MILES NORTH OF WILLACOOCHEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS NORTH OF WILLACOOCHEE THROUGH 1015 AM EST. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA...PLEASE SEEK SHELTER. BROYLES
The office that day
Everything else NWS Jacksonville, FL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 7:00 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Appling, Jeff Davis | 45 min |
| Mar 19, 7:47 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Appling | 43 min |
| Mar 19, 8:07 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Wayne | 23 min |
| Mar 19, 9:46 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Brantley, Wayne | 44 min |
| Mar 20, 8:27 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Coffee | 48 min |
| Mar 20, 9:12 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Coffee | 48 min |
| Mar 20, 12:18 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Atkinson, Coffee | 57 min |
| Mar 20, 12:25 PM EST | Tornado Warning | JAX | Atkinson, Coffee | 50 min |
| Mar 20, 1:05 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Bacon | 40 min |
| Mar 20, 1:20 PM EST | Tornado Warning | JAX | Bacon | 40 min |
| Mar 20, 1:34 PM EST | Tornado Warning | JAX | Wayne | 26 min |
| Mar 20, 1:37 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Appling, Bacon | 38 min |
| Mar 20, 1:51 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Atkinson | 39 min |
| Mar 20, 2:03 PM EST | Tornado Warning | JAX | Atkinson | 27 min |
| Mar 20, 2:09 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Coffee | 51 min |
| Mar 20, 2:10 PM EST | Tornado Warning | JAX | Wayne | 35 min |
| Mar 20, 2:20 PM EST | Tornado Warning | JAX | Coffee | 40 min |
| Mar 20, 2:29 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Bacon | 46 min |
| Mar 20, 2:34 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Clinch, Echols | 56 min |
| Mar 20, 2:45 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Appling | 45 min |
| Mar 20, 3:15 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Atkinson | 45 min |
| Mar 20, 3:23 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Charlton | 67 min |
| Mar 20, 3:28 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Ware | 32 min |
| Mar 20, 3:55 PM EST | Flash Flood Warning | JAX | Bacon | 6 hr |
| Mar 20, 4:37 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Clinch | 38 min |
| Mar 20, 6:04 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAX | Atkinson, Clinch | 41 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 2003Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.