Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 115, NWS Atlanta, GA

May 3, 20094 counties in Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at May 3, 2009, 6:26 PM EDT for 4 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 34 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 3, 2009, 6:26 PM EDT (22:26 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2009, 7:00 PM EDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Bartow County, GA, Cherokee County, GA, Gordon County, GA, Pickens County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 115 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:29 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 3, 4:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 115 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 2009-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 149 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 2009-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 104 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
149 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-13 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
523 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
104 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
182 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS52 KFFC 032226
TORFFC
GAC015-057-129-227-032315-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0115.090503T2226Z-090503T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
626 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  WESTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  NORTHEASTERN BARTOW COUNTY IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA
  SOUTHEASTERN GORDON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA

* UNTIL 715 PM EDT

* AT 625 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR WHITE...
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  WALESKA AND TALKING ROCK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT WILL BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE
PLACE.

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3437 8438 3420 8474 3437 8488 3455 8458
      3455 8452
TIME...MOT...LOC 2226Z 235DEG 26KT 3431 8477

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 032238
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
638 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

GAC015-057-129-227-032315-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0115.000000T0000Z-090503T2315Z/
CHEROKEE GA-BARTOW GA-PICKENS GA-GORDON GA-
638 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN GORDON...WESTERN PICKENS...NORTHEASTERN BARTOW AND
NORTHWESTERN CHEROKEE COUNTIES...

AT 630 PM EDT...LAW ENFOCEMENT REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR GRASSDALE. 
AT 637 PM THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR PINE LOG...MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO LAKE
ARROWHEAD...FAIRMOUNT...WALESKA...SALACOA VALLEY...TALMADGE...
HINTON...BLAINE AND TALKING ROCK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT WILL BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE
PLACE.

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3437 8438 3423 8467 3441 8482 3455 8458
      3455 8452
TIME...MOT...LOC 2237Z 235DEG 26KT 3435 8469

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 032246
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
646 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

GAC015-129-032256-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0115.000000T0000Z-090503T2315Z/
BARTOW GA-GORDON GA-
646 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN GORDON AND NORTHEASTERN
BARTOW COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTIES...THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS 
BEEN CANCELLED.

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

LAT...LON 3441 8441 3429 8465 3434 8465 3435 8464
      3436 8465 3445 8465 3447 8464 3448 8465
      3451 8465 3455 8458 3455 8452
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 235DEG 26KT 3439 8463

$$

GAC057-227-032315-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0115.000000T0000Z-090503T2315Z/
CHEROKEE GA-PICKENS GA-
646 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT FOR WESTERN
PICKENS AND NORTHWESTERN CHEROKEE COUNTIES...

AT 646 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR SALACOA VALLEY...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
TALMADGE...HINTON...BLAINE AND TALKING ROCK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT WILL BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE
PLACE.

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3441 8441 3429 8465 3434 8465 3435 8464
      3436 8465 3445 8465 3447 8464 3448 8465
      3451 8465 3455 8458 3455 8452
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 235DEG 26KT 3439 8463

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 032300
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
700 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

GAC057-227-032310-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0115.000000T0000Z-090503T2315Z/
CHEROKEE GA-PICKENS GA-
700 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WESTERN PICKENS AND NORTHWESTERN CHEROKEE
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED AREA...THUS THE WARNING HAS BEEN 
CANCELLED.

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

LAT...LON 3441 8441 3429 8465 3434 8465 3435 8464
      3436 8465 3445 8465 3447 8464 3448 8465
      3451 8465 3455 8458 3455 8452
TIME...MOT...LOC 2300Z 225DEG 36KT 3452 8448

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 3:44 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningFFCGordon, Murray, Whitfield17 hr
May 3, 4:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk, Troup83 min
May 3, 4:42 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCFloyd, Haralson, Polk63 min
May 3, 4:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCFannin, Gilmer40 min
May 3, 5:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCChattahoochee, Harris, Meriwether, Muscogee, Stewart, Troup80 min
May 3, 5:32 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCBartow, Floyd, Polk43 min
May 3, 5:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Coweta, Douglas, Fulton, Haralson, Heard and 2 more65 min
May 3, 5:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette and 6 more65 min
May 3, 6:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLamar, Meriwether, Pike, Talbot, Taylor, Upson60 min
May 3, 6:06 PM EDTTornado WarningFFCCoweta, Fayette, Fulton39 min
May 3, 6:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCChattahoochee, Macon, Marion, Schley, Stewart, Sumter and 2 more63 min
May 3, 6:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth and 3 more61 min
May 3, 6:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCButts, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, Jasper, Lamar and 5 more58 min
May 3, 6:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBibb, Crawford, Lamar, Monroe, Taylor, Upson55 min
May 3, 6:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCherokee, Dawson, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall and 1 more52 min
May 3, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBibb, Butts, Crawford, Jasper, Jones, Monroe and 2 more64 min
May 3, 7:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBarrow, Butts, Gwinnett, Jasper, Morgan, Newton and 3 more38 min
May 3, 7:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Barrow, Clarke, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall and 5 more58 min
May 3, 7:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBaldwin, Greene, Hancock, Jones, Putnam, Twiggs and 1 more53 min
May 3, 7:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClarke, Greene, Hancock, Madison, Morgan, Oconee and 2 more50 min
May 3, 7:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Jackson, Madison48 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

Sources

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