Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Atlanta, GA

February 18, 2009Gwinnett County, Walton County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at Feb 18, 2009, 5:59 PM EST for Gwinnett County, Walton County, Georgia. It was in force for 46 min. 4 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
Feb 18, 2009, 5:59 PM EST (22:59 UTC)
Expired
Feb 18, 2009, 6:45 PM EST
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Gwinnett County, GA, Walton County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 82 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:03 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
Feb 18, 6:00 PM ESTHAIL 3Loganville, GA
Feb 18, 6:03 PM ESTHAIL 1Sw Snellville, GA
Feb 18, 6:20 PM ESTHAIL 1.75Between, GAGOLF BALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED.
Feb 18, 6:26 PM ESTHAIL 1Monroe, GAREPORT OF 1-INCH SIZED HAIL.

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
Feb 18, 3:32 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 77 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 2009-02-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2009-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 605 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
588 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
605 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
895 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 182259
TORFFC
GAC135-297-182345-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0016.090218T2259Z-090218T2345Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
559 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN GWINNETT COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  WALTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA

* UNTIL 645 PM EST

* AT 558 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR
  SNELLVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  GRAYSON...LOGANVILLE...WALNUT GROVE...BETWEEN...JERSEY AND MONROE.

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 TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST WEDNESDAY EVENING
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 3387 8360 3367 8364 3373 8390 3378 8397
      3376 8401 3377 8406 3393 8401
TIME...MOT...LOC 2259Z 277DEG 43KT 3384 8409

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 182310
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
610 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

GAC135-297-182345-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-090218T2345Z/
WALTON GA-GWINNETT GA-
609 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM EST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN GWINNETT AND WALTON COUNTIES...

AT 607 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED BETWEEN SNELLVILLE AND 
ROSEBUD...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
LOGANVILLE...WINDSOR...YOUTH...WALNUT GROVE...BETWEEN...JERSEY...
NICHOLASVILLE...CAMPTON...MONROE...HERNDONVILLE...PANNELL AND MOUNT
VERNON.

A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST WEDNESDAY 
EVENING 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 3387 8360 3367 8364 3373 8390 3376 8393
      3378 8397 3379 8405 3390 8401
TIME...MOT...LOC 2309Z 282DEG 44KT 3382 8396

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 182329
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
629 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

GAC135-182338-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-090218T2345Z/
GWINNETT GA-
628 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN GWINNETT COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTY.

A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST WEDNESDAY 
EVENING FOR MUCH OF 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 3387 8370 3388 8369 3387 8360 3381 8362
      3372 8363 3380 8382 3388 8377 3388 8370
TIME...MOT...LOC 2328Z 280DEG 45KT 3380 8369

$$

GAC297-182345-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-090218T2345Z/
WALTON GA-
628 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM EST FOR CENTRAL
WALTON COUNTY...

AT 626 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO 
WAS LOCATED NEAR MONROE...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PANNELL
AND MOUNT VERNON.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR MUCH OF 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 3387 8370 3388 8369 3387 8360 3381 8362
      3372 8363 3380 8382 3388 8377 3388 8370
TIME...MOT...LOC 2328Z 280DEG 45KT 3380 8369

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 3:43 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon52 min
Feb 18, 3:52 PM ESTWind AdvisoryFFCBaldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley and 90 more27 hr
Feb 18, 4:19 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCChattahoochee, Marion, Muscogee41 min
Feb 18, 4:22 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCBartow, Cherokee38 min
Feb 18, 4:52 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCHarris, Talbot38 min
Feb 18, 4:53 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCherokee, Forsyth, Fulton37 min
Feb 18, 5:02 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCarroll43 min
Feb 18, 5:06 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCMarion, Schley, Taylor24 min
Feb 18, 5:31 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCarroll, Coweta, Douglas, Fulton44 min
Feb 18, 5:32 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCTalbot, Taylor27 min
Feb 18, 5:33 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCMacon, Taylor22 min
Feb 18, 5:36 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett54 min
Feb 18, 5:43 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCDeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett34 min
Feb 18, 5:54 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCClayton, Coweta, Fayette, Fulton, Henry, Spalding51 min
Feb 18, 6:01 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCrawford, Houston, Peach44 min
Feb 18, 6:13 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCarroll47 min
Feb 18, 6:19 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCHouston, Twiggs26 min
Feb 18, 6:21 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCClarke, Greene, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton54 min
Feb 18, 6:22 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Haralson38 min
Feb 18, 6:33 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCButts, Henry, Jasper, Newton42 min
Feb 18, 6:44 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCBleckley, Laurens, Twiggs25 min
Feb 18, 6:48 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCWilkinson22 min
Feb 18, 6:50 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCJasper, Putnam55 min
Feb 18, 6:54 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Coweta, Douglas, Fulton18 min
Feb 18, 6:58 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCGreene, Oglethorpe, Taliaferro, Warren, Wilkes77 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.