Isolated supercells formed ahead of a squall line that moved across southern Georgia during the predawn hours of Christmas Day.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS TAE wrote it up.
Isolated supercells formed ahead of a squall line that moved across southern Georgia during the predawn hours of Christmas Day.
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Dec 25, 1:50 AM EST, 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 150 AM EST MON DEC 25 2006 .SYNOPSIS...SFC LOW CONTINUES TO WIND UP OVER THE N CENTRAL GULF LATE THIS EVENING...WITH A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WITH A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING THE CWA. THUS FAR...RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAVE GENERALLY BEEN AROUND ONE HALF OF AN INCH OR LESS AS OF 10 PM EST... EXCEPT SOME COASTAL AREAS OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND HAVE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THE APALACHICOLA APPEARS TO BE THE JACKPOT...AS THEY HAVE ACCUMULATED 3.24 INCHES THUS FAR. WITH SEVERAL MORE HOURS OF RAIN TO GO...STILL EXPECT MOST AREAS TO RECEIVE A SOLID 1 TO 2 INCHES...WITH SOME 3 TO 5 INCH AMOUNTS AT SOME NEAR COASTAL AREAS. OVER THE COASTAL WATERS...WINDS AND SEAS CONTINUE TO INCREASE...AND ARE NOW AT ADVISORY LEVELS OVER JUST ABOUT THE ENTIRE MARINE AREA. && .SHORT TERM...FCST CONTINUES TO BE GENERALLY RIGHT ON TRACK...WITH ABOUT THE ONLY DISAPPOINTMENT BEING THE LOWER THAN EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION IN PRECIPITATION FROM THE ISENTROPIC LIFT COMPONENT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS GA AND AL. IN THE LONG RUN... HOWEVER...STILL EXPECT A GENERAL 1 TO 2 INCHES...BUT THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OVER 3 INCHES WILL BE OVER AREAS TO THE SOUTH ACROSS THE FL BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE. AS THE SFC LOW CONTINUES TO DEVELOP AND EJECT OUT TO THE NE...IT WILL SWING ITS COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION TODAY...WITH THE RAINFALL GRADUALLY WINDING DOWN FROM W TO E ACROSS THE AREA. WRAP AROUND MOISTURE FROM THE UPPER LOW BEHIND THE COLD FRONT COULD STILL PRODUCE A LIGHT SHOWER OR TWO LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT...BUT NO ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED. COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL BUILD IN ON TUESDAY...WITH A LIGHT FREEZE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE INTERIOR ON TUESDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM...AFTER A GENERALLY FAIR AND DRY MID WEEK...CONFIDENCE CONTINUES TO GROW THAT THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION BY FRIDAY OR SATURDAY...WITH YET ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL POSSIBLE. THIS IS FINALLY BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A MORE TYPICAL EL NINO PATTERN ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST U.S....WITH A VERY ACTIVE AND PROGRESSIVE SUBTROPICAL JET STREAM...AND IF IT CONTINUES...WE COULD MAKE SOME INROADS INTO OUR DROUGHT SITUATION. && .AVIATION...LOW PRESSURE IS MOVING ONSHORE ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST EARLY THIS MORNING...WHILE THE WARM FRONT AHEAD OF IT IS MOVING NORTHWARD ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE...AND WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA BY DAYBREAK. RADAR ESTIMATES WINDS AOA 1THSND FT S-SE 30 TO 35 KTS...AND GUSTY SE SFC WINDS 10 TO 20 KTS ARE BEING REPORTED FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE WARM FRONT...WITH A FEW GUSTS OVER 30 KTS IN SOME OF THE MORE INTENSE SHOWERS. MOST THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN OFFSHORE OR NEAR THE COAST WHERE THE INSTABILITY IS THE GREATEST. AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE RAPIDLY NE TODAY...PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH ACROSS AREA FROM WEST TO EAST 12Z-18Z. EXPECT PERIODS OF MVFR TO LIFR CIGS AND VSBYS IN RA AT ABY...VLD AND TLH UNTIL AFTER 12Z...WITH MVFR CIGS PERSISTING ACRS THE AREA UNTIL AT LEAST 00Z. && .MARINE...NOW THAT SCA CONDITIONS HAVE BECOME ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS...THEY WILL LIKELY RETAIN THEIR GRIP OVER THE MARINE AREA INTO TUESDAY...BEFORE BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE PROVIDES SOME RELIEF. && .FIRE WEATHER...NO CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TALLAHASSEE 68 48 54 29 59 / 60 20 10 0 0 PANAMA CITY 68 49 55 34 59 / 30 20 10 0 0 DOTHAN 67 45 51 32 57 / 30 20 10 0 0 ALBANY 70 47 52 33 58 / 60 20 10 0 0 VALDOSTA 70 49 54 33 59 / 80 20 10 0 0 CROSS CITY 74 53 60 32 61 / 90 20 10 0 0 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. GA...NONE. FL...NONE. GM...SCA ALL LEGS. && AVIATION/FIRE WX...DUVAL PUBLIC/MARINE...GOULD
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 307 AM EST SUN DEC 24 2006 ALZ065>069-FLZ007>019-026>029-034-GAZ120>131-142>148-155>161- GMZ750-755-770-775-251100- COFFEE-DALE-HENRY-GENEVA-HOUSTON-INLAND WALTON-COASTAL WALTON- HOLMES-WASHINGTON-JACKSON-BAY-CALHOUN-GULF-FRANKLIN-GADSDEN-LEON- JEFFERSON-MADISON-LIBERTY-WAKULLA-TAYLOR-LAFAYETTE-DIXIE-QUITMAN- CLAY-RANDOLPH-TERRELL-DOUGHERTY-LEE-WORTH-TURNER-TIFT-BEN HILL- IRWIN-EARLY-MILLER-BAKER-MITCHELL-COLQUITT-COOK-BERRIEN-SEMINOLE- DECATUR-GRADY-THOMAS-BROOKS-LOWNDES-LANIER- COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO 20 NM- WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 307 AM EST SUN DEC 24 2006 /207 AM CST SUN DEC 24 2006/ THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA...SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AND GULF OF MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL HEAD NORTHEASTWARD TOWARDS THE REGION TODAY. RAIN IS EXPECTED TO BREAK OUT ACROSS THE AREA FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST BEGINNING DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. THIS RAIN WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES TONIGHT WITH WIDESPREAD 1 TO 2 INCH RAINFALL TOTALS EXPECTED...WITH SOME AREAS EXPERIENCING UP TO 3 TO 4 INCHES. THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS ARE FORECAST TO FALL ACROSS OUR NORTHERN GA AND AL COUNTIES. ALSO...SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT AND ON MONDAY...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT NEAR THE COAST OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE...AS WELL AS OUT INTO THE GULF WATERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH ON MONDAY...THE RAIN WILL TAPER OFF AND END FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION...WITH JUST A FEW SHOWERS LEFT BEHIND THAT MAY LINGER INTO MONDAY NIGHT. MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK SHOULD BE COOLER AND DRIER...BEFORE THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST BY FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME...ALTHOUGH PHONED IN REPORTS OF RAINFALL TOTALS WILL BE VERY WELCOME. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TAE. 17-GOULD
FLZ017-027-250215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 827 PM EST SUN DEC 24 2006 ...BAND OF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS MOVING ACROSS GADSDEN AND LEON COUNTIES... AT 820 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A NEARLY NORTH TO SOUTH BAND OF HEAVY SHOWERS LOCATED FROM SOUTHWEST GADSDEN COUNTY SOUTH- SOUTHEAST THROUGH BLOXHAM TO THE WAKULLA-LEON COUNTY BORDER NEAR OTTER CAMP. THIS LINE WAS MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH AND GENERATING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND WINDS TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. A THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE. THIS LINE WILL MOVE EAST TOWARDS DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE IN THE NEXT 15 TO 20 MINUTES...ALTHOUGH IT MAY WEAKEN SOME BY THEN. RESIDENTS AND ESPECIALLY MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN VIGILANT TO THE WEATHER THROUGHOUT CHRISTMAS EVE. BLOCK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 851 PM EST SUN DEC 24 2006 FLZ015-026-250245- FRANKLIN-LIBERTY- 851 PM EST SUN DEC 24 2006 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR FRANKLIN AND GULF COUNTIES INCLUDING ST GEORGE ISLAND AND THE SURROUNDING WATERS... * UNTIL 945 PM EST (845 PM CST) AT 846 PM EST (746 PM CST)...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY SHOWERS AND A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF APALACHICOLA TO 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF APALACHICOLA...OR CENTRAL ST GEORGE ISLAND. THIS MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS LINE IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS...AND OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. WATERSPOUTS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. 24-BLOCK
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Eight miles east of Fitzgerald on Glenn Merritt Road, several barns lost some tin off their roofs, and there were several trees and power lines down.
Several downed trees and power lines reported in Ocilla. Several windows were blown out on Satilla Road.
The tornado touched down four miles east of Fitzgerald just south of Georgia Highway 206 and U.S. Highway 319. There were several areas along its northeasterly track where trees had been twisted off at approximately 15 feet above ground level. Debris from the initial touchdown was discovered three miles due north. The tornado touched down four times as evidenced by the sporadic damage. Two homes were destroyed, two homes were heavily damaged, and three irrigation pivots were destroyed. The tornado finally lifted at an old recreation area known as Red Bluff where roof damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2006Warnings in Georgia, December 2006
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 8283, 8284, 8282.