Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Atlanta, GA

April 20, 20156 counties in Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this tornado warning at Apr 20, 2015, 2:44 PM EDT for 6 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 46 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: Apr 20, 2015, 2:44 PM EDT (18:44 UTC)
Expired: Apr 20, 2015, 3:30 PM EDT
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Atlanta, GA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.75 in

Counties Barrow County, GA, Forsyth County, GA, Fulton County, GA, Gwinnett County, GA, Hall County, GA, Jackson County, GA

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 105 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:47 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 20, 2:57 PM EDT	HAIL 1	2 W Suwanee, GA	THE HAIL OCCURED NEAR BELLS FERRY AND MCGINNIS.
Apr 20, 3:10 PM EDT	HAIL 0.88	Braselton, GA	NICKEL SIZED HAIL COVERING THE GROUND WITH ONE TO TWO INCH DEPTH
Apr 20, 3:16 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Winder, GA	A LARGE TREE WAS UPROOTED ON CANDLER ROAD. THE TREE THEN IMPACTED A HOME. ADDITIONAL SMALLER TREES WERE ALSO REPORTED DOWN IN ADDITION TO HAIL IN THE WINDER AREA.

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 20, 1:23 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 101 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 694 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -36 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 689 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 222 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 284 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.8
Supercell composite: 4.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

023 
WFUS52 KFFC 201844
TORFFC
GAC013-117-121-135-139-157-201930-
/O.NEW.KFFC.TO.W.0008.150420T1844Z-150420T1930Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
244 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN GWINNETT COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...
  NORTHWESTERN BARROW COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...
  SOUTHERN HALL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL FORSYTH COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...
  WEST CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN GEORGIA...
  EASTERN FULTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...

* UNTIL 330 PM EDT
    
* AT 244 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER SUWANEE...OR 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF
  LAWRENCEVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. 
           DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE 
           DAMAGE IS LIKELY. 

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  LAWRENCEVILLE...WINDER...JEFFERSON...DULUTH...SUGAR HILL...
  SUWANEE...BUFORD...BRASELTON...AUBURN...FLOWERY BRANCH...DACULA...
  HOSCHTON...PENDERGRASS...CARL...TALMO...REST HAVEN...CANDLER...
  CHATEAU ELAN...COUNTY LINE AND FORT YARGO STATE PARK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER
PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN
IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

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 OR TWEET US YOUR REPORT AT NWSATLANTA.

&&

LAT...LON 3423 8373 3412 8361 3395 8373 3398 8416
      3411 8417
TIME...MOT...LOC 1844Z 254DEG 32KT 3403 8409 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

3 follow-up statements

140 
WWUS52 KFFC 201854
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
254 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

GAC117-121-201903-
/O.CAN.KFFC.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150420T1930Z/
FORSYTH GA-FULTON GA-
254 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL FORSYTH AND EASTERN FULTON
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
    
THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT 
OF THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR NORTHEASTERN
GEORGIA.

LAT...LON 3423 8373 3412 8361 3397 8372 3400 8407
      3413 8409
TIME...MOT...LOC 1853Z 254DEG 32KT 3405 8400 

$$

GAC013-135-139-157-201930-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150420T1930Z/
GWINNETT GA-BARROW GA-HALL GA-JACKSON GA-
254 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN GWINNETT...NORTHWESTERN BARROW...SOUTHERN HALL AND WEST
CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTIES...
    
AT 253 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR SUGAR HILL...OR NEAR LAWRENCEVILLE...MOVING EAST AT
35 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
WINDER...JEFFERSON...SUGAR HILL...SUWANEE...BUFORD...BRASELTON...
AUBURN...FLOWERY BRANCH...DACULA...HOSCHTON...PENDERGRASS...CARL...
TALMO...REST HAVEN...CANDLER...CHATEAU ELAN...COUNTY LINE...ROAD
ATLANTA-LANIER SPEEDWAY...THOMPSONS MILL AND CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER
PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN
IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

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 OR TWEET US YOUR REPORT AT NWSATLANTA.

&&

LAT...LON 3423 8373 3412 8361 3397 8372 3400 8407
      3413 8409
TIME...MOT...LOC 1853Z 254DEG 32KT 3405 8400 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

688 
WWUS52 KFFC 201904
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
304 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

GAC013-135-139-157-201930-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150420T1930Z/
GWINNETT GA-BARROW GA-HALL GA-JACKSON GA-
304 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN GWINNETT...NORTHWESTERN BARROW...SOUTHEASTERN HALL AND
WEST CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTIES...
    
AT 304 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR AUBURN...OR 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF WINDER...MOVING
EAST AT 40 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
WINDER...JEFFERSON...BRASELTON...AUBURN...FLOWERY BRANCH...DACULA...
HOSCHTON...PENDERGRASS...CARL...TALMO...CANDLER...CHATEAU ELAN...
COUNTY LINE...ROAD ATLANTA-LANIER SPEEDWAY...THOMPSONS MILL...
CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN AND HOG MOUNTAIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER
PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN
IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

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 OR TWEET US YOUR REPORT AT NWSATLANTA.

&&

LAT...LON 3423 8373 3412 8361 3397 8372 3399 8394
      3417 8394
TIME...MOT...LOC 1904Z 269DEG 33KT 3406 8385 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

531 
WWUS52 KFFC 201914
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
314 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

GAC013-135-139-157-201930-
/O.CON.KFFC.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150420T1930Z/
GWINNETT GA-BARROW GA-HALL GA-JACKSON GA-
314 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR EASTERN
GWINNETT...NORTHWESTERN BARROW...SOUTHEASTERN HALL AND WEST CENTRAL
JACKSON COUNTIES...
    
AT 314 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER HOSCHTON...OR NEAR WINDER...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
WINDER...JEFFERSON...BRASELTON...AUBURN...HOSCHTON...PENDERGRASS...
TALMO...CANDLER...ROAD ATLANTA-LANIER SPEEDWAY...THOMPSONS MILL...
CHATEAU ELAN AND COUNTY LINE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER
PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN
IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

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 OR TWEET US YOUR REPORT AT NWSATLANTA.

&&

LAT...LON 3423 8373 3412 8361 3401 8369 3404 8385
      3420 8383
TIME...MOT...LOC 1914Z 254DEG 29KT 3408 8377 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 19, 8:41 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Cherokee, Dawson, Pickens	34 min
Apr 19, 9:30 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Dawson, Lumpkin, White	30 min
Apr 20, 3:57 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Walker	48 min
Apr 20, 4:44 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Catoosa, Chattooga, Floyd, Walker, Whitfield	31 min
Apr 20, 5:10 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Bartow, Gordon, Murray	35 min
Apr 20, 5:30 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Gilmer, Gordon, Murray	30 min
Apr 20, 5:42 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Bartow, Haralson, Paulding	33 min
Apr 20, 6:03 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Pickens	27 min
Apr 20, 6:07 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Fannin, Towns, Union	23 min
Apr 20, 6:23 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Cherokee	37 min
Apr 20, 6:26 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cherokee, Pickens	20 min
Apr 20, 6:30 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Lumpkin, Towns	30 min
Apr 20, 6:40 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Dawson	35 min
Apr 20, 6:57 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	White	19 min
Apr 20, 7:00 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Banks, Hall	30 min
Apr 20, 9:55 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	FFC	Johnson, Washington, Wilkinson	4 days
Apr 20, 12:38 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Cherokee, Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, Lumpkin, White	37 min
Apr 20, 12:58 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Stewart, Webster	32 min
Apr 20, 1:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, Lumpkin, White	45 min
Apr 20, 1:08 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Cobb, Paulding	37 min
Apr 20, 1:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cobb, Paulding	44 min
Apr 20, 1:27 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Cherokee, Forsyth	33 min
Apr 20, 1:32 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Houston, Macon, Peach	28 min
Apr 20, 1:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cherokee, Dawson, Forsyth	42 min
Apr 20, 1:40 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Towns	35 min
Apr 20, 1:58 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Crawford	32 min
Apr 20, 1:58 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cherokee, Cobb, Fulton	47 min
Apr 20, 2:01 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Paulding	29 min
Apr 20, 2:07 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett	38 min
Apr 20, 2:14 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Hall	31 min
Apr 20, 2:30 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Paulding	15 min
Apr 20, 2:35 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Banks	25 min
Apr 20, 2:45 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Banks	45 min
Apr 20, 3:09 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Cobb	36 min
Apr 20, 3:18 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Banks, Jackson, Madison	42 min
Apr 20, 3:23 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Jasper, Putnam	22 min
Apr 20, 3:28 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Gwinnett	47 min
Apr 20, 4:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Banks, Madison	15 min
Apr 20, 4:05 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Barrow, Jackson	40 min
Apr 20, 4:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison	47 min
Apr 20, 4:25 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Oglethorpe	20 min
Apr 20, 4:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Madison	35 min
Apr 20, 5:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Clarke	33 min
Apr 20, 5:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Madison	14 min
Apr 20, 5:58 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Clarke, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe	47 min
Apr 20, 6:45 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	FFC	Clarke, Oglethorpe	30 min
Apr 20, 7:10 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Oglethorpe, Wilkes	50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2015 Every tornado warning in 2015 Tornadoes in 2015

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.