Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 68, NWS Atlanta, GA

May 11, 2008Jefferson County, Washington County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at May 11, 2008, 6:43 AM EDT for Jefferson County, Washington County, Georgia. It was in force for 47 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
May 11, 2008, 6:43 AM EDT (10:43 UTC)
Expired
May 11, 2008, 7:30 AM EDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Jefferson County, GA, Washington County, GA

The radar

The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 91 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:43 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
May 11, 6:45 AM EDTTORNADO 04 Ne Sandersville, GAAN EF0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR GA HWY 15 AND MAYVIEW RD TRACKING EAST FOR APPROXIMATELY 33 MILES THROUGH JEFFERSON COUNTY AND CONTINUED INTO BURKE COUNTY BEFORE LIFTING AT 722 AM. MANY STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED BUT MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS MINOR. MAXIMUM PATH WI
May 11, 7:05 AM EDTTSTM WND DMGLouisville, GANUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ALL AROUND LOUISVILLE.
May 11, 7:15 AM EDTTSTM WND DMGLouisville, GASEVERAL TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.

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
May 11, 2:37 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 187 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 00:00Z on 2008-05-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1834 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 00:00Z on 2008-05-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 138 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1834 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
852 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
226 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.1
Supercell composite
11.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS52 KFFC 111044
TORFFC
GAC163-303-111130-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0068.080511T1043Z-080511T1130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
643 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  NORTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA

* UNTIL 730 AM EDT

* AT 638 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO JUST NORTH OF   
  SANDERSVILLE OR 28 MILES WEST OF LOUISVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 50    
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR WARTHEN...SANDERSVILLE...AND DAVISBORO.

TAKE COVER NOW TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT
WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE.

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 3311 8227 3296 8228 3300 8293 3311 8293
      3312 8291 3312 8258 3317 8225 3315 8225
TIME...MOT...LOC 1043Z 274DEG 43KT 3305 8281

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 111101
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
700 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008

GAC303-111110-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0068.000000T0000Z-080511T1130Z/
WASHINGTON GA-
700 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

RADAR INDICATES THAT THE POSSIBLE TORNADO HAS EXITED WASHINGTON 
COUNTY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 AM EDT.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM EDT SUNDAY MORNING 
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 3296 8228 3298 8254 3302 8254 3301 8256
      3305 8261 3312 8265 3312 8255 3313 8254
      3313 8249 3317 8225
TIME...MOT...LOC 1100Z 272DEG 45KT 3304 8254

$$

GAC163-111130-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0068.000000T0000Z-080511T1130Z/
JEFFERSON GA-
700 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 AM EDT FOR CENTRAL
JEFFERSON COUNTY...

AT 657 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 11 MILES WEST OF
LOUISVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 52 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL IMPACT RURAL AREAS OF CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY 
INCLUDING THE LOUISVILLE AREA.

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 FIRST 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 3296 8228 3298 8254 3302 8254 3301 8256
      3305 8261 3312 8265 3312 8255 3313 8254
      3313 8249 3317 8225
TIME...MOT...LOC 1100Z 272DEG 45KT 3304 8254

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 111123
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
723 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008

GAC163-111133-
/O.EXP.KFFC.TO.W.0068.000000T0000Z-080511T1130Z/
JEFFERSON GA-
723 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY EXPIRES AT 730 AM
EDT...

RADAR INDICATES THAT THE POSSIBLE TORNADO HAS EXITED JEFFERSON 
COUNTY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM EDT SUNDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN 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 3296 8228 3298 8254 3302 8254 3301 8256
      3305 8261 3312 8265 3312 8255 3313 8254
      3313 8249 3317 8225
TIME...MOT...LOC 1123Z 272DEG 45KT 3301 8220

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 10, 8:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJefferson31 min
May 10, 9:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrisp, Wilcox44 min
May 10, 9:59 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCDodge, Telfair, Wilcox31 min
May 10, 10:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDodge, Telfair51 min
May 10, 10:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDodge, Laurens, Montgomery, Telfair, Wheeler43 min
May 11, 2:08 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDouglas, Fulton41 min
May 11, 2:22 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, DeKalb, Fulton38 min
May 11, 2:33 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCNewton, Rockdale42 min
May 11, 2:50 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCWhite25 min
May 11, 3:06 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMorgan, Oconee, Walton39 min
May 11, 3:07 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHarris, Troup53 min
May 11, 3:32 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClarke, Oglethorpe, Wilkes43 min
May 11, 3:33 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCTroup42 min
May 11, 4:01 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCTalbot, Upson44 min
May 11, 4:09 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll36 min
May 11, 4:14 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCMeriwether, Troup46 min
May 11, 4:21 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton54 min
May 11, 4:25 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton50 min
May 11, 4:31 AM EDTWind AdvisoryFFCBaldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley and 90 more35 hr
May 11, 4:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, DeKalb, Henry, Rockdale46 min
May 11, 4:52 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCClayton, DeKalb, Fulton, Henry53 min
May 11, 5:03 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMeriwether, Pike, Upson42 min
May 11, 5:12 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCLamar, Pike, Upson33 min
May 11, 5:22 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCNewton, Rockdale38 min
May 11, 5:28 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCChattahoochee, Marion37 min
May 11, 5:37 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrawford, Monroe, Upson23 min
May 11, 5:37 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCBibb, Crawford, Monroe38 min
May 11, 5:50 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBaldwin, Jones55 min
May 11, 5:52 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMacon, Schley38 min
May 11, 5:54 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCBibb, Twiggs36 min
May 11, 5:58 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJasper, Morgan, Putnam62 min
May 11, 6:10 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCTwiggs, Wilkinson35 min
May 11, 6:12 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBleckley, Dooly, Houston, Macon, Peach, Pulaski and 1 more48 min
May 11, 6:26 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBleckley, Dodge, Laurens, Treutlen49 min
May 11, 6:32 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCJohnson, Laurens, Washington, Wilkinson43 min
May 11, 6:36 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrisp, Wilcox39 min
May 11, 6:39 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCGlascock, Jefferson, Washington51 min
May 11, 6:48 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMontgomery, Telfair, Toombs, Wheeler57 min
May 11, 6:52 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCEmanuel38 min
May 11, 6:56 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCLaurens, Montgomery, Toombs, Treutlen, Wheeler47 min
May 11, 7:10 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrisp, Wilcox50 min
May 11, 7:18 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCCrisp, Sumter57 min
May 11, 7:54 AM EDTTornado WarningFFCCrisp, Wilcox36 min
May 11, 8:23 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCTelfair23 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.