A sharp upper-level trough and associated strong cold front swept through the region resulting in numerous reports of damaging thunderstorm wind gusts and a few isolated tornadoes across parts of north and central Georgia.
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 FFC wrote it up.
A sharp upper-level trough and associated strong cold front swept through the region resulting in numerous reports of damaging thunderstorm wind gusts and a few isolated tornadoes across parts of north and central Georgia.
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 Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 12, 12:00 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 1200 PM EST Tue Feb 12 2019 .UPDATE FOR AVIATION... PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 940 AM EST Tue Feb 12 2019/ UPDATE... No big changes to the forecast. Dense fog advisory has been cancelled as most visibilities have improved and the remaining lower visibilities will improve shortly. BDL PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 649 AM EST Tue Feb 12 2019/ SHORT TERM /Today through Wednesday/... The last lingering vestiges of the wedge will continue to erode through this morning amid increasing southerly flow ahead of an approaching cold front. Weak upglide will continue to support scattered light showers through the morning, particularly across the northwest half of the CWA. Otherwise, low clouds and widespread fog will persist. As visibilities have continued to deteriorate this morning, a Dense Fog Advisory has been issued for a large portion of the area through 15z. Visibility should gradually improve thereafter. Additionally, temperatures will continue to rise through the morning due to increasing prefrontal southerly flow. By mid-morning, a line of heavier rain ahead of the cold front will begin to enter northwest Georgia. While forecast instability is not all that impressive, models have trended up slightly as compared to earlier runs with MUCAPE ranging from a couple hundred J/kg in north Georgia to over 500 J/kg farther south. As the surface low continues to lift away from the area, the best forcing will as well; however, forcing ahead of the trailing cold front along with the aforementioned marginal instability should be sufficient for at least some embedded thunderstorm activity. With enhanced shear also in place, a low-level risk of a couple of strong thunderstorms or perhaps a severe thunderstorm or two will exist. The primary threat would be spotty damaging wind gusts or brief weak rotation. The overall threat should diminish further by late afternoon/evening as forcing continues to diminish as the convective line moves into southeastern portions of the area. The highest rainfall totals today will be across far north Georgia where a some locations will likely exceed 2" amounts. Rainfall totals will taper substantially farther south. The cold front will clear the CWA from NW to SE through the evening bringing gusty west/northwest winds. Much drier and cooler conditions will continue to filter into the region through tonight. Temperatures will revert back to near-normal levels for both morning lows and afternoon highs on Wednesday under clear skies. RW LONG TERM /Wednesday Night through Monday/... The long term portion begins in one of the few dry periods as surface high resides right over the area through Thu morning. This looks to be the coldest morning of the long term as good radiational cooling setup allows for sub freezing conditions over a good portion of the northern tier. Zonal flow aloft means systems will move in quickly and often beginning Fri. Already some differences creep into the models with the GFS having a sharper trough and consequently more QPF. Have used a blend for now which still yields likely pops for the northern tier and chance for Central GA. More substantial system in store for Sat as low pressure tracks across the Tennessee Valley and drags a frontal boundary across the area and what looks like a washout of a Sat for most areas. With the zonal flow aloft not going away, we just never can really get a clearing front through the area. Sunday looks like it could be wet as well now, at least for Central GA with North GA possibly clearing out early in the day. Enough instability present to warrant inclusion of slight chance thunder for Sunday afternoon. It should be noted that in the super long term, this pattern looks to persist and has the chances of bringing copious amounts of rainfall to portions of the area should models verify. Deese && .AVIATION... 18Z Update... Most conditions MVFR or short improving to MVFR ceilings. Highly variable conditions expected with a line of heavier showers and possible brief thunderstorms with brief IFR conditions associated possible. Conditions improve to VFR overnight. Surface winds SSW 10-15kts with gusts up to around 25 kts, becoming west 10-15 kts then diminishing some. //ATL Confidence...18Z Update... Low to Medium confidence for ceilings/vsbys associated with line of showers. Medium to High confidence for winds. BDL && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 68 36 57 34 / 80 30 0 0 Atlanta 67 36 55 37 / 80 20 0 0 Blairsville 60 30 48 29 / 90 20 0 0 Cartersville 64 34 54 32 / 90 10 0 0 Columbus 71 39 60 37 / 80 20 0 0 Gainesville 64 36 54 34 / 90 30 0 0 Macon 74 39 60 34 / 80 30 0 0 Rome 64 34 55 31 / 90 10 0 0 Peachtree City 68 36 57 33 / 80 20 0 0 Vidalia 79 44 62 38 / 50 60 0 0 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...BDL LONG TERM....20 AVIATION...BDL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 1042 AM EST Tue Feb 12 2019 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-131545- Baldwin-Banks-Barrow-Bartow-Bibb-Bleckley-Butts-Carroll-Catoosa- Chattahoochee-Chattooga-Cherokee-Clarke-Clayton-Cobb-Coweta- Crawford-Crisp-Dade-Dawson-DeKalb-Dodge-Dooly-Douglas-Emanuel- Fannin-Fayette-Floyd-Forsyth-Gilmer-Glascock-Gordon-Greene- Gwinnett-Hall-Hancock-Haralson-Harris-Heard-Henry-Houston-Jackson- Jasper-Jefferson-Johnson-Jones-Lamar-Laurens-Lumpkin-Macon- Madison-Marion-Meriwether-Monroe-Montgomery-Morgan-Murray- Muscogee-Newton-North Fulton-Oconee-Oglethorpe-Paulding-Peach- Pickens-Pike-Polk-Pulaski-Putnam-Rockdale-Schley-South Fulton- Spalding-Stewart-Sumter-Talbot-Taliaferro-Taylor-Telfair-Toombs- Towns-Treutlen-Troup-Twiggs-Union-Upson-Walker-Walton-Warren- Washington-Webster-Wheeler-White-Whitfield-Wilcox-Wilkes- Wilkinson- 1042 AM EST Tue Feb 12 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight... Patchy dense fog will continue to impact portions of eastern Georgia through the rest of the morning hours. A line of showers with isolated embedded thunderstorms will move through the area through this afternoon and evening. Although widespread severe weather is not anticipated, a few of the storms could be strong producing damaging winds and heavy rainfall. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out, especially across portions of west and central Georgia later this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday... Isolated thunderstorms will be possible again on Sunday as a series of storm systems move across the outlook area. In addition, some localized flooding will be possible as the potential for locally heavy rainfall will exist. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not requested but spotters are encouraged to submit reports of severe weather through the web by going to weather.gov/atlanta.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1101 AM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
GAZ011-019-121630-
Chattooga GA-Floyd GA-
1101 AM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN CHATTOOGA AND FLOYD
COUNTIES UNTIL 1130 AM EST...
At 1100 AM EST...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm over Howells Crossroads, or over Cedar Bluff...
moving east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind and enhanced risk of a brief tornado.
IMPACT...While winds should result in minor damage to tree limbs
and blowing around of light...unsecured objects...this
storm has also exhibited localized rotation. A brief
tornado could quickly form.
Some locations in the path of this storm include
Rome, Shannon, Armuchee, Lindale, Coosa and Holland.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
LAT...LON 3444 8514 3420 8504 3419 8505 3412 8543
3432 8547
TIME...MOT...LOC 1600Z 251DEG 37KT 3419 8556
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1227 PM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
GAZ042-052-053-066-067-121800-
Coweta GA-Carroll GA-Troup GA-Heard GA-Meriwether GA-
1227 PM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN COWETA...SOUTHEASTERN
CARROLL...NORTHERN TROUP...HEARD AND NORTHWESTERN MERIWETHER COUNTIES
UNTIL 100 PM EST...
At 1226 PM EST...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm near Corinth, or 7 miles south of Wedowee...
moving east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind and enhanced risk of a brief tornado.
IMPACT...While winds should result in minor damage to tree limbs
and blowing around of light...unsecured objects...this
storm has also exhibited localized rotation. A brief
tornado could quickly form.
Some locations in the path of this storm include
Newnan, LaGrange, Franklin, Hogansville, Grantville, Luthersville,
Whitesburg, Ephesus, Centralhatchee, Moreland, Roopville, Lone Oak,
East Newnan, Corinth, Plant Yates, Louise, Seaton Lake, Dunaway
Gardens, Clem and Harrisonville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
LAT...LON 3358 8486 3358 8484 3357 8481 3356 8483
3354 8483 3353 8482 3351 8482 3351 8480
3306 8470 3306 8522 3344 8530
TIME...MOT...LOC 1726Z 257DEG 44KT 3319 8549
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
1249 PM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
GAZ013>015-021-022-032>034-045-121815-
Dawson GA-North Fulton GA-Cobb GA-Cherokee GA-DeKalb GA-Forsyth GA-
Gwinnett GA-Pickens GA-Lumpkin GA-
1249 PM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DAWSON...NORTH FULTON...COBB...
CHEROKEE...NORTHWESTERN DEKALB...FORSYTH...WESTERN GWINNETT...EASTERN
PICKENS AND LUMPKIN COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM EST...
At 1249 PM EST...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
line of strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near
Sequoyah Lake to Powder Springs...and moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind and enhanced risk of a brief tornado.
IMPACT...While winds should result in minor damage to tree limbs
and blowing around of light...unsecured objects...the
leading edge of this line of storms has also exhibited
areas of localized rotation. A brief tornado could
quickly form.
Some locations in the path of these storms include
Atlanta, Marietta, Canton, Decatur, Cumming, Dahlonega, Jasper,
Dawsonville, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Smyrna,
Dunwoody, Milton, Kennesaw, Duluth, Woodstock, Acworth and Sugar
Hill.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
LAT...LON 3472 8386 3462 8388 3452 8383 3441 8398
3429 8394 3430 8393 3420 8398 3418 8406
3415 8400 3378 8418 3381 8472 3393 8473
3455 8439 3458 8433 3457 8426 3460 8425
3460 8419 3466 8413 3464 8404 3471 8399
TIME...MOT...LOC 1749Z 258DEG 33KT 3455 8433 3387 8470
WIND...50MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
101 PM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
GAZ032-033-042>045-052>055-066-067-121830-
Fayette GA-North Fulton GA-Douglas GA-Cobb GA-Clayton GA-Coweta GA-
DeKalb GA-Carroll GA-Troup GA-Heard GA-Meriwether GA-South Fulton GA-
101 PM EST TUE FEB 12 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FAYETTE...NORTH FULTON...
DOUGLAS...SOUTHWESTERN COBB...NORTHWESTERN CLAYTON...COWETA...
SOUTHWESTERN DEKALB...SOUTHEASTERN CARROLL...TROUP...EASTERN HEARD...
WESTERN MERIWETHER AND SOUTH FULTON COUNTIES UNTIL 130 PM EST...
At 101 PM EST...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
line of strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Lithia
Springs to near Standing Rock...and moving southeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind and enhanced risk of a brief tornado.
IMPACT...While winds should result in minor damage to tree limbs
and blowing around of light...unsecured objects...the
leading edge of this line of storms has also exhibited
areas of localized rotation. A brief tornado could
quickly form.
Some locations in the path of these storms include
Atlanta, Newnan, Douglasville, LaGrange, Decatur, Fayetteville,
Jonesboro, Franklin, Greenville, Peachtree City, East Point, Union
City, Forest Park, Riverdale, College Park, Fairburn, Tyrone,
Austell, Morrow and Hapeville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People outdoors should seek shelter immediately.
LAT...LON 3379 8475 3379 8472 3382 8472 3379 8418
3287 8477 3288 8519 3313 8524
TIME...MOT...LOC 1801Z 302DEG 33KT 3378 8470 3310 8522
WIND...50MPHThe Atlanta radar (KFFC), 31 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:04 UTC.
22 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The Coweta County Emergency Manager reported a tree blown down near the intersection of Highway 34 and Providence Church Road.
An off-duty National Weather Service employee reported a few trees blown down along Upper Wooten Road near the intersection with Cochran Mill Road and just outside of Cochran Mill Park.
The local broadcast media and the public reported trees and power lines blown down from the Tsys campus to around the intersection of Macon Road and Auburn Avenue.
A national Weather Service survey team found that an EF0 tornado with maximum winds of 70 mph and a maximum path width of 150 yards briefly touched down in northern Fayette County. Several trees were snapped or uprooted between Bentley Way and Thornton Way/Drive, including along Bentley Lane and New Oakridge Trail. [02/12/19: Tornado #1, County #1/1, EF-0, Fayette, 2019:001].
A National Weather Service survey team found that a brief, EF0 tornado with a maximum winds speed of 75 mph and a maximum path width of 100 yards occurred in northern Clayton County. The tornado touched down along Highway 85 between Forest Park and Riverdale where trees were blown down or snapped on either side of the highway just south of Orr Road. The tornado ripped shingles off the roof of an apartment building and downed several trees around the apartment complex as it moved east-northeast. The tornado crossed I-75 and downed trees along Pineridge Drive between Virginia Circle and Ash Street before lifting along School Lane just northwest of Forest Park High School where it blew down several large limbs onto the roof of a home. No injuries were reported. [02/12/19: Tornado #2, County #1/1, EF-0, Clayton, 2019:002].
The Clayton County 911 center reported a tree blown down onto a home on Wood Knoll Lane causing damage to the roof.
The Georgia Department of Transportation reported trees and power lines blown down between Terrell Street and Dogwood Circle along Highway 109 on the west side of Greenville.
The Marion County Emergency Manager reported several trees blown down along Highway 355 in the Box Springs area as well as wind damage to the roofs of a church and a home.
The Talbot County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees blown down across northern and western portions of the county with around a dozen roads impacted. The hardest hit area was between Highway 315 and Highway 36 west-northwest of Talbotton.
The public reported shingles blown off the roofs of a few houses around Quarry Circle and Stonebriar Road.
The Upson County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees and power lines blown down across the far northern part of the county from around the intersection of Weems Road and Smyrna Church Road to Highway 19 near the Pike County line, Rocky Bottom Road, and Piedmont and Mud Bridge Roads in The Rock.
The Upson County Emergency Manager reported trees and power lines blown down across central portions of the county from the Roland area to southeast of Thomaston.
A National Weather Service survey team found that an EF0 tornado with a maximum wind speed of 75 mph and a maximum path width of 100 yards touched down in the Locust Grove area of southern Henry County. The tornado snapped or uprooted trees as it moved southeast along the north side of Highway 42 between Barnes Drive and Davis Road. Just before the tornado lifted, the front and side porches of a house were lifted and then collapsed. No injuries were reported. [02/12/19: Tornado #3, County #1/1, EF-0, Henry, 2019:003].
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across the northern portion of the county. Two homes received damage to their roofs near the intersection of Highway 19 and Wilson Road.
A National Weather Service survey team found that an EF0 tornado with maximum winds of 75 mph and a maximum path width of 200 yards occurred in western Macon County. The tornado touched down on the southwest side of the town of Ideal on Brooks Road travelling east along the road snapping or uprooting several trees along the road before lifting around Tom Watson Avenue. A small shed had most if its tin walls and roof removed and tossed nearly 200 yards away. No injuries were reported. [02/12/19: Tornado #4, County #1/1, EF-0, Macon, 2019:004].
The Monroe County Emergency Manager reported several trees blown down on I-75 between mile markers 191 and 192.
The Walton County Emergency Manager reported a tree blown down on East Hightower Trail near Social Circle Parkway.
The Newton County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees down from Covington Bypass to Henderson Mill Road, southeast of Covington. Several trees were either snapped or uprooted between S. Dearing Street and Vintage Drive.
The Oglethorpe County Emergency Manager reported several trees blown down across the northern part of the county from Dawson Road between Arnoldsville and Winterville to Lexington-Carlton Road near Sandy Cross.
The Morgan County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees and power lines blow down across far southern portions of the county from around Broughton Road and Shiloh Road to 7 Island Road around Pierce Dairy Road to Reids Ferry Road north of Woods Road. A home near the intersection of 7 Island Roads and Bethany Church Road sustained wind damage to the roof and porch.
The Sumter County Emergency Manager reported a few trees snapped along Charleston Road.
The Peach County Emergency Manager reported significant damage to a mobile home on Highway 41 when a tree was blown over onto the home. Another structure sustained minor damage at the location. No injuries were reported.
The Houston County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees and power lines blown down across the county from Perry to Kathleen. Several structures, including homes, were damaged by the wind and by falling trees.
The Twiggs County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees and power lines blown down in the eastern portion of the county from around Bullard to Jeffersonville.
The Greene County Emergency Manager reported several areas of multiple trees blown down between Greensboro and Siloam, mainly along and south of I-20.
The Laurens County Emergency Manager reported a few trees and power lines blown down along Highway 338 between I-16 and Dexter.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2019Warnings in Georgia, February 2019
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: 803635, 803639, 803645, 803584, 803615, 803648, 803650, 803653, 803655, 803657, 803664, 803700, 803620, 803668, 803629, 803672, 803674, 803679, 803681, 803682, 803683, 803684, 803685, 803691, 803695, 803696.