Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Atlanta, GA

March 4, 20084 counties in Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at Mar 4, 2008, 5:52 PM EST for 4 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 38 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 4, 2008, 5:52 PM EST (22:52 UTC)
Expired
Mar 4, 2008, 6:30 PM EST
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Greene County, GA, Oglethorpe County, GA, Taliaferro County, GA, Wilkes County, GA

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 130 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:51 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 4, 6:05 PM ESTTSTM WND DMGUnion Point, GAA FEW TREES DOWN ON POWER LINES.
Mar 4, 6:15 PM ESTTSTM WND DMGWashington, GANUMEROUS TREES DOWN COUNTYWIDE.
Mar 4, 6:15 PM ESTHAIL 0.88Tignall, GA

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 4, 12:04 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 167 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2008-03-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2008-03-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 369 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
967 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
369 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
451 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WFUS52 KFFC 042252
TORFFC
GAC133-221-265-317-042330-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0016.080304T2252Z-080304T2330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
552 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN GREENE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  NORTHWESTERN TALIAFERRO COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  WILKES COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  SOUTHEASTERN OGLETHORPE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

* UNTIL 630 PM EST

* AT 550 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR UNION
  POINT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  LYNEVILLE...PRATHER...WASHINGTON...TIGNALL AND SANDTOWN.

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO A
BASEMENT OR INTERIOR ROOM ON THE GROUND FLOOR. STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

LAT...LON 3357 8307 3366 8314 3388 8294 3398 8282
      3399 8265 3397 8262 3389 8260 3387 8257
      3381 8258 3374 8254
TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 236DEG 45KT 3364 8306

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 042309
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
609 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008

GAC133-221-265-042319-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-080304T2330Z/
TALIAFERRO GA-GREENE GA-OGLETHORPE GA-
609 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN OGLETHORPE...NORTHEASTERN 
GREENE AND NORTHWESTERN TALIAFERRO COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EST TUESDAY EVENING
FOR GEORGIA.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

LAT...LON 3374 8254 3363 8288 3378 8299 3392 8288
      3394 8281 3398 8278 3399 8265 3397 8262
      3389 8260 3387 8257 3381 8258
TIME...MOT...LOC 2309Z 236DEG 45KT 3376 8285

$$

GAC317-042330-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-080304T2330Z/
WILKES GA-
609 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EST FOR WILKES
COUNTY...

AT 608 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR RAYLE...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
PRATHER...WASHINGTON...TIGNALL...SANDTOWN...NORMAN...METASVILLE AND
DANBURG.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EST TUESDAY EVENING
FOR GEORGIA.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

LAT...LON 3374 8254 3363 8288 3378 8299 3392 8288
      3394 8281 3398 8278 3399 8265 3397 8262
      3389 8260 3387 8257 3381 8258
TIME...MOT...LOC 2309Z 236DEG 45KT 3376 8285

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 042333
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
630 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008

GAC317-042340-
/O.EXP.KFFC.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-080304T2330Z/
WILKES GA-
630 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WILKES COUNTY EXPIRES AT 630 PM EST...

AT 630 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT THE TORNADO WAS MOVING OUT OF WILKES COUNTY...NEAR DANBURG. 
THUS...THE TORNADO WARNING IS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

ADDITIONAL STRONG STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING WINDS TO 50 MPH AND 
SMALL HAIL TO PORTIONS OF EASTERN WILKES COUNTY THROUGH 7 PM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EST TUESDAY EVENING
FOR EASTERN GEORGIA.

IF YOU OBSERVED WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT 
FLOODING...WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

LAT...LON 3374 8254 3363 8288 3378 8299 3392 8288
      3394 8281 3398 8278 3399 8265 3397 8262
      3389 8260 3387 8257 3381 8258
TIME...MOT...LOC 2309Z 235DEG 45KT 3376 8284

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 4, 1:37 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Cherokee, Gilmer, Pickens38 min
Mar 4, 2:24 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, DeKalb36 min
Mar 4, 2:28 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCForsyth, Fulton47 min
Mar 4, 3:20 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHall26 min
Mar 4, 3:33 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCWhite16 min
Mar 4, 3:52 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Jackson23 min
Mar 4, 4:34 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMorgan26 min
Mar 4, 4:52 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCFulton4 hr
Mar 4, 5:04 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJasper, Morgan, Putnam41 min
Mar 4, 5:24 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGreene36 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.