Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, December 28, 2005

The Griffin Daily News reported that lightning struck three homes on McDonough Road. The lightning struck a phone line adjacent to the homes and traveled through the phone line and electrical wires inside the homes. While two of the homes only suffered minor electrical damage, about $8,000 in smoke damage was sustained a the bedroom of the third home.

The Oconee County Emergency Management Director reported quarter-sized hail.

The Marion County Emergency Management Director, the public, and the county police reported an extensive period of hail ranging in size from pennies to quarters across the north part of the county from Brantley, to Five Points, to Tazewell. The hail covered the ground at some locations and vehicle windshields were cracked. Hail fell for as long as 20 minutes at some locations.

The public reported that nickel-sized hail covered the ground.

The public reported nickel-sized hail.

The Georgia Forestry Commission along with the Taylor County 911 Center reported an extensive swath of large hail across the southern portion of the county, basically from the Marion county line on the west near Charing, across Rupert, to near the Crawford county line on the east near Potterville. Hail ranged in size from quarters to golf balls along the path, including on U.S. Highway 19 near Rupert.

The Stewart County Emergency Management Director and the public reported a swath of quarter to golf ball-sized hail from Omaha to Louvale.

The Peach County Emergency Management Director reported golf ball-sized hail in Fort Valley. The Georgia Forestry Commission reported quarter-sized hail just northeast of Fort Valley. Finally, the public reported quarter-sized hail on Interstate-75 at Byron.

The Peach County Emergency Management Director reported sightings of funnel clouds. No tornado touch downs were observed or confirmed.

The Sumter County 911 Center reported a large swath of hail across the north part of the county. Hail ranging in size from golf balls to softballs fell approximately five miles north of Americus along U.S. Highway 19. Quarter-sized hail was also reported in the extreme south part of the county from a separate thunderstorm cell.

The Schley County Emergency Manager reported golf ball-sized hail in the northwest part of the county along Shiloh Road.

The Preston Police Department reported golf ball-sized hail.

The Georgia State Patrol reported a large swath of hail across the southern part of the county. The hail was as large as golf balls in the Vienna area.

The Dooly County 911 Center reported that a trailer was turned on its side and several trees were blown down.

The public reported penny to quarter-sized hail.

The public reported golf ball-sized hail.

The public reported quarter-sized hail.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The public and the 911 center reported that a large swath of hail tracked across the county from near Bullard in the west to near Jeffersonville in the east. The public reported half-dollar to golf ball-sized hail in Jeffersonville and the Twiggs County 911 Center reported ping pong to golf ball-sized hail between Bullard and Dry Branch.

Several reports were received from the public of half-dollar to golf ball-sized hail.

The Monroe County Emergency Management Director reported that nickel-sized hail covered the ground on I-75 in the Bolingbroke area. The interstate became a parking lot as three accidents evolved during the hail storm. There were no injuries.

The Whitfield County Emergency Management Director relayed a report from a storm spotter of penny to quarter-sized hail on Forest Hill Road in the south part of Dalton.

A SkyWarn spotter reported golf ball-sized hail.

A SkyWarn spotter sighted a funnel cloud.

The Monroe County Emergency Management Director reported that a funnel cloud had been observed 1/2 mile south of Bolingbroke on I-475.

The public reported nickel-sized hail on the west side of Irwinton.

The Dooly County 911 Center received numerous reports of funnel cloud sightings from the public.

The Pulaski County 911 Center reported golf ball-sized hail.

The public reported nickel-sized hail.

A swath of large hail was observed from the west central part of the county to the northeast corner. The public reported baseball-sized hail in Cordele. Fire Station No. 1 reported golf ball-sized hail just northeast of Cordele, while Fire Station No. 4 reported quarter-sized hail in the far western part of the county near Coney.

A SkyWarn spotter reported penny-sized hail.

A damage survey conducted by the Pulaski County Emergency Manager confirmed that an F0 tornado had touched down in the extreme southern part of the county near the Wilcox county line near the town of Finleyson, just north of the town of Pineview. One house was blown off its foundation and moved some five to eight feet from its original location. A 20 by 30 foot metal shop was blown away with debris scattered up to 1/2 mile away. A peanut trailer was moved across a field and destroyed. A tractor was also blown away and destroyed. In addition, five homes had roof damage with shingles lifted off and several irrigation pivots were turned over.

The Dooly County Emergency Management Director reported that hail ranging in size from pennies to golf balls fall from Unadilla to the northeast corner of the county near the Pulaski county line.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The Laurens County Emergency Management Director confirmed that an F1 tornado touched down in the Ben Hall Lake area, approximately seven miles northeast of Dublin, and continued on an east-northeastward track to near the town of Lovett in extreme northeast Laurens county, then into extreme western Johnson county, lifting near the town of Spann. The tornado path was determined to be approximately four miles long and 300 feet wide at its maximum. The tornado crossed U.S. Highway 319 along the Laurens/Johnson county line. Along the damage path, in addition to trees and power lines, a mobile home was destroyed and a car was turned over.

The public reported golf ball to baseball-sized hail.

The Greene County Emergency Management Director reported penny-sized hail.

Two reports of golf ball-sized hail across the northern portion of the county along U.S. Highway 23.

The Laurens County Emergency Management Director confirmed that the tornado that first touched down in northeast Laurens county approximately seven miles northeast of Dublin continued across Georgia Highway 319 along the Laurens/Johnson county border and to near the town of Spann in extreme western Johnson county. Damage was confined mainly to trees, power lines, and a few outbuildings.

A SkyWarn spotter reported that thunderstorm winds blew a tree down onto a house.

Numerous reports of very large hail were received from the public across a large part of central Troup county from west of LaGrange near West Point Lake east to Mountville along the eastern border of the county. Many of the hail reports were of golf ball to baseball-sized hail. Hail the size of quarters to golf balls completely covered the ground at one shopping center in La Grange. Dozens of car windshields were broken during the hailstorm. The most significant damage occurred at a Toyata dealership in LaGrange, where 240 vehicles were damaged.

The Wilcox County 911 Center reported, and which was later confirmed by the Wilcox County Emergency Management Director, that an F0 tornado had touched down north-northwest of Pitts and traveled east-northeast across for approximately 2.5 miles. The path width was 50 yards. The tornado crossed Georgia Highway 215, but traveled mostly through rural areas. One home near Georgia Highway 215 sustained major damage and the roof was lifted off an industrial building. Some peanut trailers were tossed into a pond. At least three vehicles were damaged as a result of downed trees.

The Georgia Forestry Commission reported golf ball sized hail across the southwest and south central part of the county from Mobley Crossing, to Cochran, to near Frazier.

The Washington County 911 Center reported quarter-sized hail.

The public reported penny-sized hail on Georgia Highway 126 southwest of Dexter and northwest of Cadwell.

The public reported baseball-sized hail.

The Meriwether County 911 Center reported quarter-sized hail.

The Laurens County Emergency Management Director confirmed that a brief F0 tornado touched down just east of the Dodge county line in southwest Laurens county between Cadwell and Cedar Grove. The tornado path was approximately 1/2 mile long and 50 yards wide. The tornado remained in a largely rural area between Georgia Highway 126 and U.S. Highway 441. Damage was confined entirely to trees.

The Upson County 911 Center reported quarter-sized hail while the public reported penny-sized hail.

The Dodge county Emergency Management Director reported that thunderstorm wind gusts caused some minor damage to the side of a mobile home. Pea-sized hail was also observed in the area.

The Columbia, SC Weather Forecast Office relayed a report from a storm spotter of golf ball-sized hail.

The public reported quarter-sized hail.

The Twin City Police Department reported penny-sized hail.

The Jones County Emergency Management Director reported penny-sized hail.

The public reported quarter-sized hail.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The Taylor County Sheriff reported dime-sized hail in Rupert and dime to quarter-sized hail from Potterville to Reynolds.

The Washington County 911 Center reported half-dollar-sized hail.

The public observed penny-sized hail.

The public reported penny-sized hail.

The public observed nickel-sized hail. The hail covered a home deck within a five minute period.

The public observed penny-sized hail.

The public observed nickel-sized hail.

The public reported quarter-sized hail.

The Washington County Emergency Management Director reported penny-sized hail.

The Bleckley County 911 Center reported quarter-sized hail.