Hail, Mitchell
- When
- March 31, 4:27 PM EST
- Where
- Mitchell County, 1.43 mi N of Laney
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 31.221, -84.034
Nickel sized hail reported on State Highway 93.
Tornado and Flash Flooding in Georgia, March 31, 2009
A line of severe thunderstorms on the 31st produced large hail, a brief weak tornado, and flash flooding in portions of southwest Georgia.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS TAE wrote it up.
A line of severe thunderstorms on the 31st produced large hail, a brief weak tornado, and flash flooding in portions of southwest Georgia.
What forecasters said that 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 Mar 31, 11:00 AM EST, 5 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 11:00 AM EST, 5 hours 27 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1200 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009
.DISCUSSION...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE GRADUALLY ON THE
INCREASE TO THE NW OF THE CWA...WITH A FEW WORKING THEIR WAY INTO SE
AL AND THE FL PANHANDLE...AS THE LARGE SPRAWLING UPPER LOW OVER
SOUTHERN MN AND THE DAKOTAS HEADS SLOWLY OFF TO THE NE. AT THE SAME
TIME...THE SUBTROPICAL JET IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY ACTIVE NEAR THE
GULF COAST...WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING TO
FIRE ACROSS CENTRAL AL...MS...AND LA....SO THE PROSPECTS FOR HEAVY
RAINFALL STILL APPEAR ON TRACK FOR THE CWA LATER TODAY AND
TONIGHT...SO ALL INTERESTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND UPDATES FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE. OVER
THE COASTAL WATERS...WINDS CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY INCREASE OUT OF THE
SOUTHEAST...BUT ARE GENERALLY REMAINING IN THE 10 TO 15 KT RANGE FOR
THE PRESENT TIME AS THE MAIN SFC LOW IS STILL WELL OFF TO THE NW.
&&
.AVIATION...CLOUD COVERAGE AND SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE
THROUGH THE 24 HR TAF CYCLE AND BEYOND. MVFR CIGS WITH BRIEF PERIODS
OF IFR CIGS IN SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THROUGH
THE DAY TODAY FROM WEST TO EAST. VSBYS WILL ALSO BECOME A CONCERN IN
THE HEAVIER SHOWERS AND STORMS. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS
THE LOCAL AREA LATER THIS EVENING WITH A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM
THE WEST. WINDS WILL REMAIN OUT OF THE SE THROUGH MOST OF THE
DAY...THEN BECOME SW LATER THIS EVENING AND INTO TONIGHT.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...MOST AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS HAVE CRESTED OR ARE
NEARING THE CREST FROM THE WEEKENDS HEAVY RAINFALL. HOWEVER...WITH
THE FORECAST OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN...ADDITIONAL RISES ARE VERY
LIKELY BY THE END OF THE WEEK. PLEASE SEE OUR LOCAL ADVANCED
HYDROLOGICAL PREDICTION SERVICE WEB PAGE AT
HTTP://AHPS.SRH.NOAA.GOV/INDEX.PHP?WFO=TAE
FOR DETAILS...BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE FORECASTS ONLY INCLUDE
FUTURE QUANTITATIVE RAINFALL FORECASTS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS...SO
ONCE ALL IS SAID AND DONE WITH THIS EXPECTED RAINFALL EVENT WHICH
MAY PRODUCE WIDESPREAD 3 TO 5 INCH AMOUNTS WITH ISOLATED 6 TO 8 INCH
TOTALS...THE ACTUAL CRESTS MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN CURRENTLY
PREDICTED AT MANY OF THE ACTUAL RIVER LOCATIONS. THEREFORE...ALL
INTERESTS NEAR AREA RIVERS ARE URGED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE
LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON THIS
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...AND FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD EVACUATIONS
BECOME NECESSARY.
&&
.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: COFFEE...DALE...GENEVA...
HENRY...HOUSTON.
GA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BAKER...BEN HILL...
BERRIEN...BROOKS...CALHOUN...CLAY...COLQUITT...COOK...
DECATUR...DOUGHERTY...EARLY...GRADY...IRWIN...LANIER...
LEE...LOWNDES...MILLER...MITCHELL...QUITMAN...RANDOLPH...
SEMINOLE...TERRELL...THOMAS...TURNER...WORTH.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR TIFT COUNTY FOR
A POSSIBLE DAM FAILURE.
FL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 2 PM EDT /1 PM CDT/ THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BAY...
CALHOUN...COASTAL WALTON...FRANKLIN...GADSDEN...GULF...
HOLMES...INLAND WALTON...JACKSON...JEFFERSON...LEON...
LIBERTY...WAKULLA...WASHINGTON.
GM...NONE.
&&
GOULD/GIBBSHazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 4:53 AM EST, 11 hours 34 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 553 AM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ALZ065>069-FLZ007>019-026>029-034-GAZ120>131-142>148-155>161- GMZ730-750-755-765-770-775-011000- 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- APALACHEE BAY OR COASTAL WATERS FROM KEATON BEACH TO OCHLOCKONEE RIVER FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO KEATON BEACH OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 553 AM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 /453 AM CDT TUE MAR 31 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE...AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE AREA FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... ...HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AND AGAIN THURSDAY... A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION BEGINNING LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE THIS MORNING OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SPREADING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA BY EARLY THIS EVENING. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES BY MORNING...WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS. THIS WILL ONLY SERVE TO EXACERBATE THE ONGOING FLOODING SITUATION ACROSS THE REGION. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAINFALL...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE STORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...WITH THE HIGHEST PROBABILITIES IN THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. MANY AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION...OR REFER TO OUR LOCAL ADVANCED HYDROLOGICAL PREDICTION SERVICE WEB PAGE AT HTTP://AHPS.SRH.NOAA.GOV/INDEX.PHP?WFO=TAE .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... THE WET WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE THURSDAY AS A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS IMPACT THE SOUTHEAST. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS MAY EXCEED 7 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN THE FLOODING SITUATION ACROSS THE AREA. IN ADDITION...SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THE BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS TO BE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND TORNADOES ALL A POSSIBILITY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV...THEN CLICK ON YOUR AREA OF INTEREST ON THE NATIONAL MAP. CAMP
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 1:48 PM EST, 2 hours 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 248 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ALZ065-066-311945- COFFEE-DALE- 148 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR COFFEE AND DALE COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... * UNTIL 245 PM CDT AT 142 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES WEST OF OZARK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. ALSO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS. RELAY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE AT (8 5 0) 9 4 2 8 8 3 3. OR...YOU MAY CONTACT THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 85-GIBBS
Local storm report, Mar 31, 2:18 PM EST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
318 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0316 PM HAIL ENTERPRISE 31.31N 85.85W
03/31/2009 E0.25 INCH COFFEE AL PUBLIC
ONE HALF INCH HAIL REPORTED IN ENTERPRISE, AL.
&&
BOLDENSpecial weather statement, Mar 31, 2:29 PM EST, 1 hour 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 329 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ALZ069-GAZ142-143-312030- EARLY-HOUSTON-MILLER- 329 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR EARLY...HOUSTON AND MILLER COUNTIES... * UNTIL 430 PM EDT/330 PM CDT/ AT 324 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COLUMBIA...OR 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF DONALSONVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. ALSO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS. RELAY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE AT (8 5 0) 9 4 2 8 8 3 3. OR...YOU MAY CONTACT THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 85-GIBBS
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 2:56 PM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 356 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ALZ065-066-068-069-312045- COFFEE-DALE-GENEVA-HOUSTON- 256 PM CDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR COFFEE...DALE...GENEVA AND HOUSTON COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... * UNTIL 345 PM CDT AT 250 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF SAMSON...OR 13 MILES NORTHWEST OF GENEVA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... ENTERPRISE BY 305 PM CDT. LEVEL PLAINS BY 310 PM CDT. DALEVILLE BY 315 PM CDT. PINCKARD BY 325 PM CDT. DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS...AND IS ALSO PRODUCING NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. RELAY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE AT (8 5 0) 9 4 2 8 8 3 3. OR...YOU MAY CONTACT THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 38-GODSEY
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 3:38 PM EST, 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 438 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 GAZ125>127-144-145-312145- BAKER-DOUGHERTY-LEE-MITCHELL-WORTH- 438 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR BAKER...DOUGHERTY... LEE...MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST GEORGIA... * UNTIL 545 PM EDT AT 436 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES WEST OF NEWTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... NEWTON BY 445 PM EDT. PUTNEY BY 505 PM EDT. ALBANY BY 510 PM EDT. TURNER CITY BY 515 PM EDT. DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS...AND IS ALSO PRODUCING NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. RELAY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE AT (8 5 0) 9 4 2 8 8 3 3. OR...YOU MAY CONTACT THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 38-GODSEY
The radar
The Tallahassee radar (KTLH), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:27 UTC.
Event by event
2 flash flood, 1 hail, 1 funnel cloud, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Funnel Cloud, Colquitt
- When
- March 31, 4:50 PM EST
- Where
- Colquitt County, 2 mi NE of Center Hill
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 31.151, -83.867
A funnel cloud was sighted at State Road 111 and Kendallwood Church Road.
Tornado, Colquitt
- When
- March 31, 5:12 PM EST
- Where
- Colquitt County, Norman Park
- Rating
- EF0
- Path length
- 0.06 mi
- Path width
- 25 yd
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 31.270, -83.680
A tornado briefly touched down in an open field. No damage was reported.
Flash Flood, Colquitt
- When
- March 31, 5:45 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Colquitt County, 2.73 mi NNE of Bay to 1.33 mi SE of Center Hill
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 31.228, -83.908
Repeated torrential rains from thunderstorms produced flash flooding throughout much of the county. Several roads were under water.
Flash Flood, Thomas
- When
- March 31, 6:55 PM EST to 7:45 PM EST
- Where
- Thomas County, 5.23 mi SW of Dawesville to 4.93 mi SW of Dawesville
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 30.876, -84.082
Flash flooding was reported at Barnetts Creek and U.S. Highway 84.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Hail in Louisiana, March 31, 2009
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Florida, March 31, 2009
- Dust Storm and High Wind in Oregon, March 31, 2009
- Hail in Mississippi, March 31, 2009
- Tornado and Flood in Florida, March 31, 2009
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 31, 2009
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 31, 2009
- High Surf in Hawaii, March 31, 2009
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, March 31, 2009
- Drought in Texas, March 31, 2009
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 31, 2009
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, March 31, 2009
More
Every storm in Georgia in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2009Warnings in Georgia, March 2009
Sources
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: 163355, 163356, 163357, 163358, 163359.