Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Atlanta, GA

January 21, 2012Coweta County, Heard County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at Jan 21, 2012, 11:34 AM EST for Coweta County, Heard County, Georgia. It was in force for 41 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
Jan 21, 2012, 11:34 AM EST (16:34 UTC)
Expired
Jan 21, 2012, 12:15 PM EST
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Coweta County, GA, Heard County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:35 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
Jan 21, 11:57 AM ESTTSTM WND DMGE Franklin, GANUMEROUS TREES DOWN ALONG HWY 34E
Jan 21, 12:10 PM ESTTORNADO 15 Sse Newnan, GAA DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NORTHEAST OF MORELAND IN SOUTH CENTRAL COWETA COUNTY NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ALEX STEPHENS AND GORDON ROADS. THE 200 YARD WIDE TORNADO THEN STRENGTHENED QUICKLY TO AN EF1 IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA
Jan 21, 12:15 PM ESTTSTM WND DMG2 Ne Moreland, GADAMAGE TO 8-10 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ALONG THE 700-1000 BLOCK OF GORDON ROAD OFF HWY 16. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE AT INTERSECTION WITH MARTIN MILL ROAD. MINOR DAMAGE...IF ANY...TO THE HOMES...WITH NUMEROUS TREES DOWN.

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
Jan 21, 5:55 AM ESTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 22 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 2012-01-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 238 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 2012-01-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 265 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
238 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
505 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
265 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
291 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
2.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

089 
WFUS52 KFFC 211634
TORFFC
GAC077-149-211715-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0001.120121T1634Z-120121T1715Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1134 AM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  COWETA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA
  HEARD COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA

* UNTIL 1215 PM EST

* AT 1130 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES WEST OF
  FRANKLIN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  CENTRALHATCHEE...CORINTH...NEWNAN...MORELAND...SENOIA...TURIN AND
  SHARPSBURG.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

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.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...HAIL OR FLOODING...WAIT UNTIL 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. YOU CAN ALSO TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG GAWX.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EST SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3349 8462 3344 8463 3340 8461 3335 8457
      3333 8452 3326 8450 3321 8526 3338 8529
TIME...MOT...LOC 1635Z 263DEG 37KT 3331 8516

$$
3 follow-up statements
198 
WWUS52 KFFC 211648
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1148 AM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

GAC077-149-211715-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120121T1715Z/
COWETA GA-HEARD GA-
1148 AM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1215 PM EST FOR
NORTHEASTERN HEARD AND COWETA COUNTIES...

AT 1144 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR FRANKLIN...MOVING
EAST AT 45 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO POWERS
CROSSROADS...HANDY...ARNCO-SARGENT...NEWNAN...MORELAND...MADRAS...
THOMAS CROSSROADS...CANNONGATE...SENOIA...TURIN AND SHARPSBURG.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

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.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...HAIL OR FLOODING...WAIT UNTIL 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. YOU CAN ALSO TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG GAWX.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EST SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3349 8462 3344 8463 3342 8462 3340 8463
      3334 8456 3333 8453 3332 8452 3326 8450
      3323 8511 3340 8515
TIME...MOT...LOC 1648Z 263DEG 37KT 3333 8500

$$
361 
WWUS52 KFFC 211702
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1202 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

GAC149-211711-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120121T1715Z/
HEARD GA-
1202 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN HEARD COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM HAS MOVED EAST OF THE COUNTY AND THE 
THREAT HAS GREATLY DIMINISHED AT THIS TIME. THEREFORE THE WARNING 
HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...HAIL OR FLOODING...WAIT UNTIL 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. YOU CAN ALSO TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG GAWX.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EST SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

LAT...LON 3349 8462 3340 8463 3334 8456 3332 8452
      3329 8452 3326 8450 3326 8451 3325 8493
      3341 8499
TIME...MOT...LOC 1701Z 263DEG 34KT 3334 8486

$$

GAC077-211715-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120121T1715Z/
COWETA GA-
1202 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1215 PM EST FOR COWETA
COUNTY...

AT 1158 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE ROTATION WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. ALTHOUGHT THE ROTATION HAS 
WEAKENED... A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR HANDY...AND MOVING 
EAST AT 40 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
ARNCO-SARGENT...NEWNAN...MORELAND...MADRAS...THOMAS CROSSROADS...
CANNONGATE...SENOIA...TURIN AND SHARPSBURG.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY!

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...HAIL OR FLOODING...WAIT UNTIL 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. YOU CAN ALSO TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG GAWX.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EST SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3349 8462 3340 8463 3334 8456 3332 8452
      3329 8452 3326 8450 3326 8451 3325 8493
      3341 8499
TIME...MOT...LOC 1701Z 263DEG 34KT 3334 8486

$$
395 
WWUS52 KFFC 211711
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1211 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

GAC077-211715-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120121T1715Z/
COWETA GA-
1211 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1215 PM EST FOR COWETA
COUNTY...

AT 1208 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THE ROTATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM HAS WEAKENED 
AND BECOME MORE BROAD. ALTHOUGH WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL 
ARE STILL POSSIBLE... THE TORNADO WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE 
AT 1215 PM EST. THE STRONGER ROTATION WAS LOCATED NEAR NEWNAN... AND 
MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. IF THIS ROTATION TIGHTENS... ANOTHER WARNING 
WILL BE ISSUED. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...HAIL OR FLOODING...WAIT UNTIL 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. YOU CAN ALSO TWEET YOUR REPORT USING HASHTAG GAWX.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EST SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3349 8462 3340 8463 3334 8456 3332 8452
      3329 8452 3326 8450 3326 8451 3325 8493
      3341 8499
TIME...MOT...LOC 1707Z 261DEG 36KT 3334 8478

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 21, 7:19 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton41 min
Jan 21, 8:00 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton45 min
Jan 21, 8:18 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCMurray27 min
Jan 21, 8:43 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCDouglas, Newton, Rockdale47 min
Jan 21, 8:56 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCChattooga, Gordon, Murray, Whitfield34 min
Jan 21, 9:27 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCFannin, Union33 min
Jan 21, 9:47 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCFloyd43 min
Jan 21, 10:04 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton41 min
Jan 21, 10:19 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas4 hr
Jan 21, 10:22 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDeKalb, Fulton38 min
Jan 21, 10:24 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCDawson36 min
Jan 21, 10:43 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCForsyth, Hall32 min
Jan 21, 10:50 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCDeKalb, Fulton5 hr
Jan 21, 10:50 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCDeKalb, Rockdale, Walton40 min
Jan 21, 10:59 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHaralson, Paulding46 min
Jan 21, 11:07 AM ESTFlash Flood WatchFFCBarrow, Carroll, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb and 13 more4 hr
Jan 21, 11:22 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCobb, DeKalb, Fulton38 min
Jan 21, 11:27 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCBanks, Jackson, Madison33 min
Jan 21, 11:28 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton47 min
Jan 21, 11:32 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCOconee, Walton28 min
Jan 21, 11:32 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCCarroll, Douglas, Fulton28 min
Jan 21, 11:44 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCClarke, Greene, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton46 min
Jan 21, 11:57 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCMeriwether, Troup33 min
Jan 21, 12:04 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningFFCClayton2 hr
Jan 21, 12:16 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCCoweta, Fayette28 min
Jan 21, 12:26 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCLamar, Meriwether, Pike, Upson49 min
Jan 21, 12:29 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCOglethorpe, Wilkes46 min
Jan 21, 12:38 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCButts, Clayton, Henry, Spalding52 min
Jan 21, 12:43 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCMorgan32 min
Jan 21, 1:00 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBibb, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Upson45 min
Jan 21, 1:05 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCJasper, Newton40 min
Jan 21, 1:11 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCHarris34 min
Jan 21, 1:20 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCHarris40 min
Jan 21, 1:30 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCUpson30 min
Jan 21, 1:44 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBaldwin, Hancock, Jasper, Jones, Putnam, Washington and 1 more46 min
Jan 21, 1:57 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCTalbot32 min
Jan 21, 1:59 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCMuscogee31 min
Jan 21, 2:05 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHarris, Muscogee25 min
Jan 21, 2:14 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCUpson34 min
Jan 21, 2:21 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCBaldwin, Hancock, Washington, Wilkinson39 min
Jan 21, 2:27 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBibb, Crawford, Peach, Taylor48 min
Jan 21, 2:32 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCTaylor28 min
Jan 21, 2:59 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCJefferson, Washington31 min
Jan 21, 2:59 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCChattahoochee, Marion, Muscogee, Schley46 min
Jan 21, 3:06 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMacon, Taylor39 min
Jan 21, 3:07 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCJefferson, Washington38 min
Jan 21, 3:20 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCBleckley, Houston, Peach, Twiggs25 min
Jan 21, 3:28 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCMacon47 min
Jan 21, 3:53 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCDooly, Houston37 min
Jan 21, 4:00 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCEmanuel, Johnson60 min
Jan 21, 4:02 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCChattahoochee, Marion43 min
Jan 21, 4:18 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCPulaski, Wilcox42 min
Jan 21, 4:27 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDooly, Houston18 min
Jan 21, 4:29 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCStewart31 min
Jan 21, 4:36 PM ESTTornado WarningFFCPulaski24 min
Jan 21, 4:43 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCStewart, Webster62 min
Jan 21, 4:49 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDodge41 min
Jan 21, 4:50 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMarion, Schley, Sumter39 min
Jan 21, 5:24 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCMontgomery, Telfair, Wheeler66 min
Jan 21, 5:27 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCTelfair, Wheeler48 min
Jan 21, 5:33 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCDodge, Wilcox15 min
Jan 21, 5:39 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCCrisp66 min
Jan 21, 5:50 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementFFCTelfair, Wilcox40 min
Jan 21, 6:12 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMontgomery, Toombs, Wheeler33 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

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.