Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 41, NWS Atlanta, GA

March 15, 20084 counties in Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at Mar 15, 2008, 5:09 PM EDT for 4 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 18 min. 2 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 15, 2008, 5:09 PM EDT (21:09 UTC)
Expired
Mar 15, 2008, 5:27 PM EDT
In force
18 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Clarke County, GA, Oconee County, GA, Oglethorpe County, GA, Wilkes County, GA

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:09 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 15, 5:10 PM EDTFUNNEL CLOUDAthens, GAPOSSIBLE TORNADO REPORTED NEAR GAINES SCHOOL AND LEXINGTON ROADS.
Mar 15, 5:10 PM EDTTORNADOAthens, GAPOSSIBLE TORNADO REPORTED NEAR GAINES SCHOOL AND LEXINGTON ROADS.

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 15, 11:02 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr
Mar 15, 4:36 PM EDTTornado Watch PDSSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2008-03-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 33 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2008-03-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 196 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
33 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-342 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1103 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
68 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
196 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
459 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 152110
TORFFC
GAC059-219-221-317-152200-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0041.080315T2109Z-080315T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
509 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN WILKES COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  CLARKE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA
  NORTHEASTERN OCONEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA
  OGLETHORPE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

* UNTIL 600 PM EDT

* AT 505 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR ATHENS...
  MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS CAN ALSO 
  BE EXPECTED.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  GAINES SCHOOL...WINTERVILLE...CRAWFORD...SANDY CROSS...PRATHER AND
  TIGNALL.

IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLE...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE
A STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT SUNDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN 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 3386 8350 3401 8346 3402 8344 3402 8329
      3400 8328 3400 8322 3402 8319 3402 8293
      3399 8286 3398 8274 3376 8273
TIME...MOT...LOC 2109Z 271DEG 47KT 3392 8338

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 152121 RRA
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
521 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

GAC059-219-152131-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0041.000000T0000Z-080315T2200Z/
OCONEE GA-CLARKE GA-
521 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CLARKE AND NORTHEASTERN OCONEE COUNTIES IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTIES.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT SUNDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN 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 3383 8325 3388 8326 3391 8325 3393 8327
      3398 8327 3402 8319 3402 8293 3399 8286
      3398 8274 3376 8273
TIME...MOT...LOC 2121Z 271DEG 46KT 3391 8322

$$

GAC221-317-152200-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0041.000000T0000Z-080315T2200Z/
WILKES GA-OGLETHORPE GA-
521 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR
OGLETHORPE AND NORTHWESTERN WILKES COUNTIES...

AT 519 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ARNOLDSVILLE...
MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
SMITHSONIA...CRAWFORD...LEXINGTON...SANDY CROSS...VESTA...RAYLE...
PRATHER...NORMAN AND TIGNALL.

IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLE...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE
A STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT SUNDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN 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 3383 8325 3388 8326 3391 8325 3393 8327
      3398 8327 3402 8319 3402 8293 3399 8286
      3398 8274 3376 8273
TIME...MOT...LOC 2121Z 271DEG 46KT 3391 8322

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 152127
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
526 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

GAC221-317-152136-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0041.000000T0000Z-080315T2200Z/
WILKES GA-OGLETHORPE GA-
526 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR OGLETHORPE AND NORTHWESTERN WILKES
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED AND IS NO LONGER 
EXPECTED TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT SUNDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN GEORGIA. 

IF YOU SAW 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 3383 8325 3388 8326 3391 8325 3393 8327
      3398 8327 3402 8319 3402 8293 3399 8286
      3398 8274 3376 8273
TIME...MOT...LOC 2126Z 271DEG 47KT 3392 8311

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 14, 9:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb, Fulton36 min
Mar 14, 9:30 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCFulton30 min
Mar 14, 9:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDeKalb24 min
Mar 14, 9:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHaralson, Paulding, Polk23 min
Mar 14, 9:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDeKalb27 min
Mar 14, 10:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCNewton, Rockdale, Walton45 min
Mar 14, 10:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas, Paulding35 min
Mar 14, 10:12 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCNewton, Rockdale33 min
Mar 14, 10:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDouglas, Fulton45 min
Mar 14, 10:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJasper, Morgan, Newton42 min
Mar 14, 10:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, Henry55 min
Mar 14, 11:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGreene, Morgan, Putnam27 min
Mar 14, 11:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGreene, Hancock, Putnam46 min
Mar 14, 11:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb, Paulding40 min
Mar 14, 11:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCButts, Henry50 min
Mar 15, 12:03 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMorgan, Walton27 min
Mar 15, 4:05 AM EDTDense Fog AdvisoryFFCBanks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga and 37 more4 hr
Mar 15, 5:25 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Coweta, Douglas, Fulton, Heard50 min
Mar 15, 5:57 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton and 1 more33 min
Mar 15, 6:01 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCoweta, Fayette, Spalding44 min
Mar 15, 6:42 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBarrow, Gwinnett, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Rockdale and 1 more33 min
Mar 15, 6:46 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCDeKalb, Gwinnett, Rockdale, Walton13 min
Mar 15, 11:58 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCBartow, Floyd, Paulding, Polk47 min
Mar 15, 12:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Whitfield26 min
Mar 15, 12:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFannin, Gilmer, Union36 min
Mar 15, 12:32 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Paulding43 min
Mar 15, 12:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFloyd, Polk23 min
Mar 15, 12:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow25 min
Mar 15, 1:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Forsyth35 min
Mar 15, 1:14 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCCherokee, Dawson, Forsyth, Pickens46 min
Mar 15, 1:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFloyd, Polk33 min
Mar 15, 1:34 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCDawson, Forsyth, Hall, Jackson41 min
Mar 15, 1:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Paulding29 min
Mar 15, 1:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCForsyth33 min
Mar 15, 2:00 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBanks, Hall, Jackson45 min
Mar 15, 2:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Hall43 min
Mar 15, 2:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCherokee24 min
Mar 15, 2:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGordon, Murray27 min
Mar 15, 2:23 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBanks, Madison37 min
Mar 15, 2:27 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCCherokee, Forsyth, Fulton35 min
Mar 15, 2:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Hall, Jackson40 min
Mar 15, 2:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDawson, Gilmer, Gordon, Pickens47 min
Mar 15, 2:43 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCGwinnett, Hall47 min
Mar 15, 2:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Cherokee, Gordon, Pickens45 min
Mar 15, 2:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Haralson, Paulding, Polk43 min
Mar 15, 2:58 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBarrow, Jackson47 min
Mar 15, 3:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCPaulding, Polk36 min
Mar 15, 3:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Jackson33 min
Mar 15, 3:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFannin, Lumpkin, Union36 min
Mar 15, 3:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDawson, Lumpkin, Pickens41 min
Mar 15, 3:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb, Douglas, Fulton, Paulding51 min
Mar 15, 3:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb, Paulding40 min
Mar 15, 3:29 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCClarke, Madison, Oglethorpe46 min
Mar 15, 3:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCTowns, Union23 min
Mar 15, 3:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCWhite23 min
Mar 15, 3:37 PM EDTTornado Warning EmergencyFFCCobb, Douglas, Fulton38 min
Mar 15, 3:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll34 min
Mar 15, 3:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCForsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett59 min
Mar 15, 3:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Hall44 min
Mar 15, 3:55 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCDeKalb35 min
Mar 15, 4:01 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBanks, Hall, Jackson25 min
Mar 15, 4:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClarke, Oconee25 min
Mar 15, 4:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton23 min
Mar 15, 4:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCRockdale, Walton32 min
Mar 15, 4:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton46 min
Mar 15, 4:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMorgan, Newton, Walton45 min
Mar 15, 4:19 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBarrow, Gwinnett26 min
Mar 15, 4:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, DeKalb, Henry, Newton, Rockdale79 min
Mar 15, 4:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCOglethorpe, Wilkes34 min
Mar 15, 4:30 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCHall, Jackson45 min
Mar 15, 4:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClarke, Greene, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Taliaferro40 min
Mar 15, 4:38 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCNewton, Walton37 min
Mar 15, 4:42 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBarrow, Clarke, Jackson, Oconee33 min
Mar 15, 4:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCButts, Jasper, Newton27 min
Mar 15, 4:51 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCMorgan24 min
Mar 15, 4:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Coweta, Heard62 min
Mar 15, 4:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCOglethorpe, Wilkes46 min
Mar 15, 5:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFayette, Fulton28 min
Mar 15, 5:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCPutnam27 min
Mar 15, 5:04 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCMadison26 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.