Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Atlanta, GA

February 11, 20094 counties in Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at Feb 11, 2009, 6:47 PM EST for 4 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 28 min. 1 report 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 11, 2009, 6:47 PM EST (23:47 UTC)
Expired
Feb 11, 2009, 7:15 PM EST
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Clayton County, GA, DeKalb County, GA, Henry County, GA, Rockdale County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:49 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 11, 6:50 PM ESTTSTM WND DMG6 Ese Conley, GAFOUR TO FIVE TREES BLOWN DOWN NEAR REX ROAD.

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 11, 4:08 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 11.8 hours before the alert went out and 41 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 2009-02-11Temperature 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 2009-02-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 330 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
841 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
330 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
366 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 112347
TORFFC
GAC063-089-151-247-120015-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0005.090211T2347Z-090212T0015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
647 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN CLAYTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  SOUTHEASTERN DEKALB COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  NORTH CENTRAL HENRY COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA
  SOUTHWESTERN ROCKDALE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA

* UNTIL 715 PM EST

* AT 645 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR
  STOCKBRIDGE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  REX...HIDDEN VALLEY PARK...PANOLA MOUNTAIN STATE PARK...RICHARDSON
  PARK...KLONDIKE...KELLEYTOWN AND ARABIA MOUNTAIN.

IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLE...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE
A STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EST
WEDNESDAY 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 3370 8408 3354 8404 3352 8430 3361 8434
TIME...MOT...LOC 2347Z 256DEG 33KT 3357 8427

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 112355
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
655 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009

GAC063-120004-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-090212T0015Z/
CLAYTON GA-
654 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN CLAYTON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS MOVED OUT OF CLAYTON COUNTY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EST
WEDNESDAY 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 3355 8426 3357 8426 3359 8425 3359 8424
      3361 8426 3364 8426 3370 8408 3354 8404
      3352 8428 3355 8428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2354Z 255DEG 33KT 3357 8418

$$

GAC089-151-247-120015-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-090212T0015Z/
HENRY GA-ROCKDALE GA-DEKALB GA-
654 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN DEKALB...SOUTHWESTERN ROCKDALE AND NORTH CENTRAL HENRY
COUNTIES...

AT 649 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR STOCKBRIDGE...
MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PANOLA
MOUNTAIN STATE PARK...RICHARDSON PARK...KLONDIKE...KELLEYTOWN AND
ARABIA MOUNTAIN.

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 FIRST FLOOR. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF DRIVING...DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO. CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF A
TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING. IF NO SAFE
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER
YOUR HEAD.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EST 
WEDNESDAY 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 3355 8426 3357 8426 3359 8425 3359 8424
      3361 8426 3364 8426 3370 8408 3354 8404
      3352 8428 3355 8428
TIME...MOT...LOC 2354Z 255DEG 33KT 3357 8418

$$
000 
WWUS52 KFFC 120010
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
710 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009

GAC089-151-247-120019-
/O.EXP.KFFC.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-090212T0015Z/
HENRY GA-ROCKDALE GA-DEKALB GA-
709 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN DEKALB...SOUTHWESTERN
ROCKDALE AND NORTH CENTRAL HENRY COUNTIES EXPIRES AT 715 PM EST...

AT 708 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THE 
ROTATION WITH STORM WAS WEAKENING AND THE TORNADO THREAT HAS 
DECREASED...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EST
WEDNESDAY 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 3355 8426 3357 8426 3359 8425 3359 8424
      3361 8426 3364 8426 3370 8408 3354 8404
      3352 8428 3355 8428
TIME...MOT...LOC 0009Z 255DEG 33KT 3360 8402

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 11, 2:51 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCChattooga, Dade, Walker54 min
Feb 11, 3:25 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCatoosa, Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon, Walker, Whitfield65 min
Feb 11, 4:02 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Pickens and 2 more58 min
Feb 11, 4:56 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin and 3 more64 min
Feb 11, 5:29 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDawson, Forsyth, Fulton46 min
Feb 11, 5:40 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLumpkin, Towns, White35 min
Feb 11, 5:55 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHall50 min
Feb 11, 5:57 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCHarris, Troup33 min
Feb 11, 6:10 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBanks, Jackson35 min
Feb 11, 6:28 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCMeriwether, Troup33 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.