Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2019

Tornado Warning 25, NWS Tallahassee, FL

March 3, 2019Ben Hill County, Irwin County, Georgia

NWS Tallahassee, FL issued this tornado warning at Mar 3, 2019, 4:20 PM EST for Ben Hill County, Irwin County, Georgia. It was in force for 27 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Mar 3, 2019, 4:20 PM EST (21:20 UTC)
Expired: Mar 3, 2019, 4:47 PM EST
In force: 27 min
Issued by: NWS Tallahassee, FL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 2.0 in

Counties Ben Hill County, GA, Irwin County, GA

The radar

The Moody AFB radar (KVAX), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:22 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Mar 3, 12:24 PM EST	Tornado Watch	SPC	10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Tallahassee Rgnl, FL (KTLH), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 178 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: 260 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -48 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 677 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 60 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 94 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

458 
WFUS52 KTAE 032120
TORTAE
GAC017-155-032200-
/O.NEW.KTAE.TO.W.0025.190303T2120Z-190303T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
420 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Irwin County in south central Georgia...
  Southeastern Ben Hill County in south central Georgia...

* Until 500 PM EST.
    
* At 420 PM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Ocilla, moving east at 50 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and hail up to two inches in diameter.

  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.

* This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
  central Irwin and southeastern Ben Hill Counties, including the
  following locations... Wray, Pinetta, Ashton and Osierfield.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3166 8300 3166 8301 3164 8301 3164 8303
      3162 8303 3162 8304 3161 8305 3161 8306
      3156 8306 3154 8307 3151 8310 3150 8337
      3164 8337 3177 8300
TIME...MOT...LOC 2120Z 249DEG 44KT 3157 8329 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...2.00IN

$$

38-GODSEY

1 follow-up statement

088 
WWUS52 KTAE 032147
SVSTAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
447 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

GAC017-155-032156-
/O.CAN.KTAE.TO.W.0025.000000T0000Z-190303T2200Z/
Irwin GA-Ben Hill GA-
447 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL IRWIN AND SOUTHEASTERN BEN HILL
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EST for south central
Georgia.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Tallahassee.

&&

LAT...LON 3166 8300 3166 8301 3164 8301 3164 8303
      3162 8303 3162 8304 3161 8305 3161 8306
      3156 8306 3154 8307 3151 8310 3150 8337
      3164 8337 3177 8300
TIME...MOT...LOC 2146Z 249DEG 44KT 3169 8293 

$$

38-GODSEY

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Mar 3, 3:33 PM EST, 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 3, 3:33 PM EST, 47 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
333 PM EST Sun Mar 3 2019

...ONGOING OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER TO CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT...

.NEAR TERM [Through Tonight]...

At 19Z, regional radar imagery shows a quasi- linear convective
system (QLCS) stretching southwestward from east- central AL down
to southwest AL and along the MS and southeast LA coastline. Ahead
of this line, several discrete supercells have formed in
southeast AL and southwest GA. Our 18Z TAE sounding showed SBCAPE
of 1600 J/kg, with over 25 kts of 0-1 km shear and over 35 kts 0-6
km shear. In this environment, the main threat for the afternoon
and evening will be tornadoes in the supercells ahead of the QLCS
as well as the potential for tornadoes embedded in the QLCS when
it pushes eastward into the area tonight. The supercells ahead of
the line will also be capable of producing hail and thunderstorms
along the line will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts in
excess of 58 mph. The SPC has highlighted the vast majority of
the tri-state area in enhanced and slight risks for severe
thunderstorms. There is a tornado watch in effect for southeast AL
along with southwest and south-central GA and most of the FL
Panhandle through 8 PM this evening.

.SHORT TERM [Monday Through Tuesday Night]...

The cold front will exit the forecast area Monday morning with
drier and much cooler air moving in behind it. The main focus for
this period continues to be the potential freeze Tuesday night. A
light freeze is forecast across most inland counties with
durations of perhaps 2-3 hours north of U.S. Route 84. There
hasn't been a freeze since January 31. Any plants or crops that
got an early start due to the very warm February will be
susceptible to damage from this freeze.

.LONG TERM [Wednesday Through Sunday]...

The chilly air mass will remain in place through Thursday with
another light freeze possible that morning. The next frontal
system will bring increasing rain chances to the forecast from
Friday night through the weekend.

&&

.AVIATION...
[Through 18Z Monday]

MVFR CIGs will lift this afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms
will develop ahead of a cold front. A Tornado Watch is in effect
until this evening. A squall line will move through the region
late this afternoon and into tonight. Overnight IFR CIGs will
return before dry air moves into the region in the morning.

&&

.MARINE...

Onshore winds will increase to cautionary levels ahead of a cold
front and then shift to offshore with frontal passage later
tonight into Monday morning. Winds will diminish somewhat Monday
night before increasing to advisory levels behind another cold
front Tuesday night. These offshore winds will then drop below
headline criteria by Wednesday afternoon before shifting to the
east for Thursday. Onshore winds return Friday.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

Red flag conditions are not expected for the next several days.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...

Areas north of U.S. 84 remain in a slight risk for excessive
rainfall. However, this would be isolated in areas that get good
rain rates in any training thunderstorms. Antecedent dry conditions
should keep the rivers in check for the most part. The Kinchafoonee
Creek and Apalachicola River are the only ones forecast to reach
flood stage at this time.

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is requested. Spotters should safely report
significant weather conditions and/or damage by calling the office or
tweeting us @NWSTallahassee.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

Tallahassee   50  64  43  60  33 /  80  20  20  20   0
Panama City   48  61  43  56  36 /  80  20  20  10   0
Dothan        41  56  37  53  29 /  90  10  10   0   0
Albany        44  59  39  55  30 / 100  10  10   0   0
Valdosta      52  63  43  58  32 /  90  20  10  20   0
Cross City    62  70  46  62  34 /  60  30  10  20   0
Apalachicola  53  64  46  59  37 /  80  20  20  20   0

&&

.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...High Rip Current Risk until 1 AM EST /midnight CST/ Monday for
     Coastal Bay-Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.

GA...None.
AL...None.
GM...None.
&&

NEAR TERM...Nguyen
SHORT TERM...Wool
LONG TERM...Wool
AVIATION...Nguyen
MARINE...Wool
FIRE WEATHER...Harrigan
HYDROLOGY...Wool

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 3, 1:44 PM EST, 2 hours 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
144 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0124 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     2 N BLACK               31.04N 85.74W
03/03/2019                   GENEVA             AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

WD

Local storm report, Mar 3, 2:44 PM EST, 1 hour 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
244 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0230 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     SASSER                  31.72N 84.35W
03/03/2019                   TERRELL            GA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED BY A TRAINED
            SPOTTER.

&&

EB

Local storm report, Mar 3, 2:56 PM EST, 1 hour 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
256 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0255 PM     HAIL             ASHBURN                 31.71N 83.65W
03/03/2019  E1.00 INCH       TURNER             GA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN ASHBURN
            GEORGIA.

&&

EB

Local storm report, Mar 3, 3:16 PM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
316 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0310 PM     HAIL             2 SW REBECCA            31.79N 83.51W
03/03/2019  E1.75 INCH       TURNER             GA   PUBLIC

            GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED SW OF REBECCA.
            QUARTER AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL COVERED AND
            ACCUMULATED ON HIGHWAY 112.

&&

EB

Local storm report, Mar 3, 4:02 PM EST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
402 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0310 PM     HAIL             BLAKELY                 31.38N 84.94W
03/03/2019  E1.00 INCH       EARLY              GA   911 CALL CENTER

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT THE 911 CENTER AT THE
            EARLY COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE.

&&

DH

Local storm report, Mar 3, 4:15 PM EST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
415 PM EST SUN MAR 3 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0410 PM     HAIL             CHULA                   31.55N 83.55W
03/03/2019  E1.50 INCH       TIFT               GA   PUBLIC

            ACCUMULATED QUARTER TO PING PONG SIZE HAIL
            ON INTERSTATE 75 BETWEEN EXITS 67 AND 69.
            HAIL ACCUMULATED UP TO AN INCH ON THE SIDE
            OF A ROAD.

&&

EB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tallahassee, FL issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 3, 1:47 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Clay, Quitman	28 min
Mar 3, 1:58 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Randolph	32 min
Mar 3, 2:12 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Terrell	33 min
Mar 3, 2:15 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Baker, Calhoun, Dougherty	30 min
Mar 3, 2:18 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Lee, Terrell	42 min
Mar 3, 2:24 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Turner, Worth	36 min
Mar 3, 2:25 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Quitman, Randolph	35 min
Mar 3, 2:34 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Lee	26 min
Mar 3, 2:37 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Dougherty, Lee, Worth	38 min
Mar 3, 2:43 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Randolph, Terrell	20 min
Mar 3, 2:46 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Ben Hill, Irwin, Turner	44 min
Mar 3, 3:00 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Clay, Early, Randolph	30 min
Mar 3, 3:00 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Ben Hill, Irwin, Turner	45 min
Mar 3, 3:05 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Early	40 min
Mar 3, 3:25 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Dougherty, Lee, Randolph, Terrell	35 min
Mar 3, 3:26 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Baker, Calhoun, Early	34 min
Mar 3, 3:30 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Ben Hill	30 min
Mar 3, 3:43 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Tift, Turner, Worth	35 min
Mar 3, 3:45 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Ben Hill, Irwin, Turner	45 min
Mar 3, 3:47 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Dougherty, Lee, Terrell	43 min
Mar 3, 3:56 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Ben Hill, Irwin	51 min
Mar 3, 4:14 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Turner, Worth	31 min
Mar 3, 4:17 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Dougherty, Lee, Worth	43 min
Mar 3, 4:30 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Berrien, Irwin	23 min
Mar 3, 4:37 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Turner	38 min
Mar 3, 4:53 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Clay, Early	52 min
Mar 3, 4:54 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Quitman, Randolph	36 min
Mar 3, 5:04 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Ben Hill, Irwin, Turner	56 min
Mar 3, 5:11 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Clay, Early, Lee, Quitman, Randolph and 1 more	49 min
Mar 3, 5:39 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Clay, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Randolph and 2 more	51 min
Mar 3, 5:39 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Clay, Randolph	36 min
Mar 3, 5:52 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Lee, Randolph, Terrell	38 min
Mar 3, 6:10 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Calhoun, Randolph, Terrell	35 min
Mar 3, 6:10 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Early, Seminole	35 min
Mar 3, 6:24 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Decatur, Grady, Seminole	36 min
Mar 3, 6:27 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TAE	Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady and 6 more	33 min
Mar 3, 6:37 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Decatur, Early, Miller, Seminole	23 min
Mar 3, 6:53 PM EST	Tornado Warning	TAE	Baker, Decatur, Miller, Seminole	37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2019 Every tornado warning in 2019 Tornadoes in 2019

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.