Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2008
Tornado Warning 74, NWS Atlanta, GA
NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at May 20, 2008, 6:33 PM EDT for Cherokee County, Cobb County, Fulton County, Georgia. It was in force for 27 min. 5 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 20, 2008, 6:33 PM EDT (22:33 UTC)
- Expired
- May 20, 2008, 7:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 27 min
- Issued by
- NWS Atlanta, GA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Cherokee County, GA, Cobb County, GA, Fulton County, GA
The radar
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 79 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:34 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 6:35 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Se Holly Springs, GA | POSSIBLE TORNADO HAS BEEN REPORTED SOUTHEAST OF HOLLY SPRINGS...SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES DOWN HAVE BEEN COMING IN FROM THE AREA. |
| May 20, 6:35 PM EDT | TORNADO 1 | 5 Se Holly Springs, GA | PRELIMINARY FINDINGS...EF1 TORNADO. PATH...APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES LONG AND 3/4 TO 1 MILE WIDE. OVER 100 HOMES HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. |
| May 20, 6:35 PM EDT | TORNADO | 5 Se Holly Springs, GA | POSSIBLE TORNADO HAS BEEN REPORTED SOUTHEAST OF HOLLY SPRINGS...OVER 100 HOMES HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. |
| May 20, 6:40 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Nw Roswell, GA | SEVERAL TREES AND POWER LINES WERE KNOCKED DOWN IN MOUNTAIN PARK. |
| May 20, 6:45 PM EDT | HAIL 1.25 | 2 N Roswell, GA | THE PORTION OF A METAL CARPORT ROOF WAS ALSO RIPPED OFF. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 76 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
- 572 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -199 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 979 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 225 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 251 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WFUS52 KFFC 202232
TORFFC
GAC057-067-121-202300-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0074.080520T2233Z-080520T2300Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
633 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SOUTH CENTRAL CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
NORTHEASTERN COBB COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
NORTHEASTERN FULTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
* UNTIL 700 PM EDT
* AT 629 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR
WOODSTOCK...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 39 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
ROSWELL AND ALPHARETTA.
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.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
TUESDAY EVENING 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 3403 8416 3400 8419 3401 8423 3396 8428
3397 8434 3393 8435 3410 8461 3418 8445
3409 8419 3405 8412
TIME...MOT...LOC 2233Z 293DEG 34KT 3410 8445
$$4 follow-up statements
000
WWUS52 KFFC 202242
SVSFFC
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
641 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
GAC057-067-121-202300-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0074.000000T0000Z-080520T2300Z/
COBB GA-CHEROKEE GA-FULTON GA-
641 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN FULTON...SOUTH CENTRAL CHEROKEE AND NORTHEASTERN COBB
COUNTIES...
AT 641 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE
GROUND ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HOLY SPRINGS. THIS TORNADO WAS
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
ALPHARETTA.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THIS
STORM IS PRODUCING A STRONG TORNADO. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF
THIS TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
TUESDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.
IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.
LAT...LON 3403 8416 3400 8419 3401 8423 3396 8428
3397 8434 3393 8435 3410 8461 3418 8445
3409 8419 3405 8412
TIME...MOT...LOC 2241Z 296DEG 36KT 3406 8435
$$000
WWUS52 KFFC 202244 CCA
SVSFFC
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
641 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
GAC057-067-121-202300-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0074.000000T0000Z-080520T2300Z/
COBB GA-CHEROKEE GA-FULTON GA-
641 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN FULTON...SOUTH CENTRAL CHEROKEE AND NORTHEASTERN COBB
COUNTIES...
AT 641 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE
GROUND ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HOLLY SPRINGS. THIS TORNADO WAS
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
ALPHARETTA.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THIS
STORM IS PRODUCING A STRONG TORNADO. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF
THIS TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
TUESDAY EVENING 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 3403 8416 3400 8419 3401 8423 3396 8428
3397 8434 3393 8435 3410 8461 3418 8445
3409 8419 3405 8412
TIME...MOT...LOC 2241Z 296DEG 36KT 3406 8435
$$000
WWUS52 KFFC 202254
SVSFFC
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
652 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
GAC057-067-202302-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0074.000000T0000Z-080520T2300Z/
COBB GA-CHEROKEE GA-
652 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL CHEROKEE AND NORTHEASTERN
COBB COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
THE TORNADIC STORM HAS MOVED EAST OF THE COUNTIES AND THE TORNADO
THREAT HAS ENDED AT THIS TIME.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
TUESDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.
IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.
LAT...LON 3402 8418 3400 8419 3401 8423 3396 8428
3398 8436 3404 8440 3410 8433 3409 8419
3405 8412
TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 296DEG 36KT 3401 8423
$$
GAC121-202300-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0074.000000T0000Z-080520T2300Z/
FULTON GA-
652 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN FULTON COUNTY...
AT 648 PM EDT...FULTON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED A FUNNEL
CLOUD BETWEEN ALPHARETTA AND ROSWELL...AND NEAR THE NORTH POINT
MALL. THIS FUNNEL CLOUD WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES. IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
TUESDAY EVENING 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 3402 8418 3400 8419 3401 8423 3396 8428
3398 8436 3404 8440 3410 8433 3409 8419
3405 8412
TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 296DEG 36KT 3401 8423
$$000
WWUS52 KFFC 202300
SVSFFC
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
659 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
GAC121-202309-
/O.EXP.KFFC.TO.W.0074.000000T0000Z-080520T2300Z/
FULTON GA-
659 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN FULTON COUNTY WILL BE
ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 700 PM EDT...
AT 659 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADIC STORM LOCATED ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
ALPHARETTA...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 41 MPH.
THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST OUT OF NORTH FULTON COUNTY...THEREFORE THE
TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEAST FULTON COUNTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO
EXPIRE.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
TUESDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.
IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.
LAT...LON 3402 8418 3400 8419 3401 8423 3396 8428
3398 8436 3404 8440 3410 8433 3409 8419
3405 8412
TIME...MOT...LOC 2259Z 296DEG 36KT 3398 8415
$$The office that day
Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 4:20 AM EDT | Wind Advisory | FFC | Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga and 31 more | 15 hr |
| May 20, 3:48 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Coweta, Fayette | 33 min |
| May 20, 3:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Dade, Walker | 46 min |
| May 20, 4:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Clayton, Fayette, Henry, Spalding | 43 min |
| May 20, 4:21 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Butts, Henry, Jasper, Newton | 39 min |
| May 20, 4:29 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Fannin, Murray, Whitfield | 61 min |
| May 20, 4:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Catoosa, Walker | 29 min |
| May 20, 4:39 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Chattooga, Walker | 51 min |
| May 20, 4:47 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Morgan, Putnam | 43 min |
| May 20, 4:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Butts, Jasper, Monroe | 36 min |
| May 20, 5:08 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Bartow, Floyd, Gordon | 67 min |
| May 20, 5:11 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Greene | 25 min |
| May 20, 5:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Glascock, Warren | 32 min |
| May 20, 5:16 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Taliaferro | 44 min |
| May 20, 5:24 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Baldwin, Jones, Putnam | 51 min |
| May 20, 5:27 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Chattooga, Floyd | 78 min |
| May 20, 5:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Bartow, Cherokee, Gordon, Pickens | 44 min |
| May 20, 5:33 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Jefferson | 26 min |
| May 20, 5:39 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Union | 17 min |
| May 20, 5:49 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Baldwin, Hancock, Washington | 41 min |
| May 20, 5:51 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | Bartow, Cherokee | 15 min |
| May 20, 6:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Glascock, Jefferson, Washington | 58 min |
| May 20, 6:08 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Cherokee, Cobb, Forsyth, Fulton | 52 min |
| May 20, 6:25 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Bartow, Paulding | 50 min |
| May 20, 6:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Jefferson, Washington | 29 min |
| May 20, 6:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Haralson, Polk | 55 min |
| May 20, 6:40 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Gwinnett | 65 min |
| May 20, 6:44 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | DeKalb, Gwinnett | 46 min |
| May 20, 6:51 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | Haralson, Polk | 34 min |
| May 20, 7:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Newton, Rockdale, Walton | 58 min |
| May 20, 7:05 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton | 40 min |
| May 20, 7:14 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton | 31 min |
| May 20, 7:19 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Carroll, Douglas, Haralson, Paulding | 56 min |
| May 20, 7:41 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Morgan, Oconee | 34 min |
| May 20, 7:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Greene, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Putnam | 47 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.