Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Atlanta, GA

February 18, 20095 counties in Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at Feb 18, 2009, 6:58 PM EST for 5 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 77 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
Feb 18, 2009, 6:58 PM EST (23:58 UTC)
Expired
Feb 18, 2009, 8:15 PM EST
In force
77 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Greene County, GA, Oglethorpe County, GA, Taliaferro County, GA, Warren County, GA, Wilkes County, GA

The radar

The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 129 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:03 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, 7:10 PM ESTTSTM WND DMG11 W Washington, GAPOSSIBLE TORNADO. EMA DIRECTOR REPORTS SIGNIFICANT PATH OF DAMAGE BEGINNING IN THE TYRONE COMMUNITY INT HE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY NEAR GEORGIA HIGHWAY 44 AND CONTINUING SOUTH TOWARD GEORGIA HIGHWAY 47. ONE 3500 SQ. FT. HOME COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED. FIVE OTHE
Feb 18, 7:10 PM ESTTORNADO 38 Wsw Washington, GAEF3 - BEGAN IN TYRONE IN FAR SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY AND CONTINUED ACROSS SOUTHERN WILKES INTO LINCOLN COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES WITHIN WILKES COUNTY. MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH 1/2 MILE. A CINDER BLOCK HOME WAS COMPLETELY DEMOL
Feb 18, 7:10 PM ESTTORNADO 48 Wsw Washington, GAEF4 - BEGAN IN TYRONE IN FAR SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY AND CONTINUED ACROSS SOUTHERN WILKES INTO LINCOLN COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES WITHIN WILKES COUNTY. MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH 1/2 MILE. A CINDER BLOCK HOME WAS COMPLETELY DEMOL
Feb 18, 7:41 PM ESTTSTM WND DMGWashington, GA1 HOME DAMAGED ON STONEY RIDGE ROAD.
Feb 18, 7:50 PM ESTTORNADO11 Se Washington, GATHE TORNADO THAT DID EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN WILKES COUNTY CROSSED OVER INTO EXTREME NORTHERN MCDUFFIE COUNTY AND DISSIPATED. ONLY TREES WERE TAKEN DOWN IN MCDUFFIE COUNTY JUST SOUTH OF THE LAKESHORE.

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, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 175 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 182358
TORFFC
GAC133-221-265-301-317-190115-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0024.090218T2358Z-090219T0115Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN GREENE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  NORTHERN TALIAFERRO COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL WARREN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  WILKES COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  SOUTH CENTRAL OGLETHORPE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

* UNTIL 815 PM EST

* AT 653 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 14 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF WOODVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO RAYLE
  AND WASHINGTON.

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 
BASEBALL SIZED HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

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 3364 8249 3365 8252 3364 8254 3364 8259
      3361 8264 3356 8263 3362 8311 3385 8308
      3382 8258 3376 8256 3365 8248
TIME...MOT...LOC 2357Z 276DEG 41KT 3376 8328

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 190016
SVSFFC

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

GAC133-221-265-301-317-190115-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-090219T0115Z/
WARREN GA-TALIAFERRO GA-GREENE GA-WILKES GA-OGLETHORPE GA-
716 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM EST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL OGLETHORPE...SOUTHERN WILKES...NORTHEASTERN GREENE...NORTHERN
TALIAFERRO AND EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL WARREN COUNTIES...

AT 712 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED ABOUT 2 MILES WEST OF 
PHILOMATH...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO DANIEL
SPRINGS...CARTERS GROVE...CENTERVILLE...LYNEVILLE...RAYLE...
CELESTE...TYRONE...NEWTOWN...SANDY CROSS...FICKLIN...WASHINGTON...
LUNDBERG...ROCKY CREEK FIRE DEPT....AONIA...METASVILLE AND HOLLIDAY
PARK.

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

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 3364 8249 3365 8252 3364 8254 3364 8259
      3361 8264 3356 8263 3364 8310 3381 8308
      3382 8258 3376 8256 3365 8248
TIME...MOT...LOC 0016Z 279DEG 44KT 3370 8301

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 190028
SVSFFC

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

GAC133-221-190037-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-090219T0115Z/
GREENE GA-OGLETHORPE GA-
727 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL OGLETHORPE AND NORTHEASTERN
GREENE COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.

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 3364 8249 3365 8252 3364 8254 3364 8259
      3361 8264 3356 8264 3362 8296 3381 8292
      3382 8258 3376 8256 3365 8248
TIME...MOT...LOC 0027Z 282DEG 30KT 3368 8288

$$

GAC265-301-317-190115-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-090219T0115Z/
WARREN GA-TALIAFERRO GA-WILKES GA-
727 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM EST FOR SOUTHERN
WILKES...NORTHERN TALIAFERRO AND EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL WARREN
COUNTIES...

AT 726 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR TYRONE OR ABOUT 6 
MILES SOUTHWEST OF WASHINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
TYRONE...NEWTOWN...SANDY CROSS...FICKLIN...WASHINGTON...LUNDBERG...
ROCKY CREEK FIRE DEPT....METASVILLE...AONIA AND HOLLIDAY PARK.

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

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 3364 8249 3365 8252 3364 8254 3364 8259
      3361 8264 3356 8264 3362 8296 3381 8292
      3382 8258 3376 8256 3365 8248
TIME...MOT...LOC 0027Z 282DEG 30KT 3368 8288

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 190115
SVSFFC

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

GAC265-301-317-190125-
/O.EXP.KFFC.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-090219T0115Z/
WARREN GA-TALIAFERRO GA-WILKES GA-
815 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHERN WILKES...NORTHERN TALIAFERRO AND
EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL WARREN COUNTIES EXPIRES AT 815 PM EST...

THE TORNADO HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA..

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 3364 8249 3365 8252 3364 8254 3364 8259
      3361 8264 3356 8264 3362 8296 3381 8292
      3382 8258 3376 8256 3365 8248
TIME...MOT...LOC 0115Z 282DEG 30KT 3360 8241

$$

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, 5:59 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCGwinnett, Walton46 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

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.