Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2008
Tornado Warning 76, NWS Atlanta, GA
NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at May 20, 2008, 6:51 PM EDT for Haralson County, Polk County, Georgia. It was in force for 34 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 20, 2008, 6:51 PM EDT (22:51 UTC)
- Expired
- May 20, 2008, 7:25 PM EDT
- In force
- 34 min
- Issued by
- NWS Atlanta, GA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Haralson County, GA, Polk County, GA
The radar
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:52 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, 7:00 PM EDT | HAIL 1.75 | 8 W Cedartown, GA | |
| May 20, 7:05 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 5 S Cedartown, GA | SEVERAL TREES AND POWERLINES WERE DOWN SOUTH OF CEDARTOWN. |
| May 20, 7:25 PM EDT | HAIL 0.75 | 1 N Bremen, 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.
| 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, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 85 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 202251
TORFFC
GAC143-233-202345-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0076.080520T2251Z-080520T2345Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
651 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
HARALSON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA
SOUTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA
* UNTIL 745 PM EDT
* AT 647 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR ETNA...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 38 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
FELTON...BUCHANAN...BUDAPEST...BREMEN AND DRAKETOWN.
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.
IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.
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 3382 8539 3388 8539 3389 8540 3406 8542
3390 8503 3371 8505 3370 8508 3370 8515
3369 8516
TIME...MOT...LOC 2251Z 297DEG 33KT 3397 8541
$$2 follow-up statements
000
WWUS52 KFFC 202313
SVSFFC
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
712 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
GAC143-233-202345-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0076.000000T0000Z-080520T2345Z/
HARALSON GA-POLK GA-
712 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN POLK AND HARALSON COUNTIES...
AT 710 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS
TORNADIC STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FELTON...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40
MPH.
OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
BUCHANAN...BREMEN AND DRAKETOWN.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES. IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
TUESDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.
IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.
LAT...LON 3382 8539 3388 8539 3389 8540 3406 8542
3390 8503 3371 8505 3370 8508 3370 8515
3369 8516
TIME...MOT...LOC 2312Z 303DEG 35KT 3386 8519
$$000
WWUS52 KFFC 202325 RRA
SVSFFC
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
723 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
GAC143-233-202333-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0076.000000T0000Z-080520T2345Z/
HARALSON GA-POLK GA-
723 PM EDT TUE MAY 20 2008
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN POLK AND HARALSON COUNTIES IS
CANCELLED...
THE THUNDERSTORM HAS WEAKENED AND IS NO LONGER SUSPECTED TO BE
PRODUCING A TORNADO. HOWEVER...STRONG GUSTY WINDS UP TO 45 MPH...VERY
HEAVY RAIN...AND SMALL HAIL ARE STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. A
CLUSTER OF STRONG STORMS WERE LOCATED ACROSS EAST HARALSON COUNTY
AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
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 3382 8539 3388 8539 3389 8540 3406 8542
3390 8503 3371 8505 3370 8508 3370 8515
3369 8516
TIME...MOT...LOC 2323Z 303DEG 40KT 3380 8506
$$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, 6:33 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | Cherokee, Cobb, Fulton | 27 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, 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.