Storm Events Database

Storm Events Database

Event Details:

Event Tornado
-- Scale EF2
-- Length 4.9 Miles
-- Width 1760 Yards
State GEORGIA
County/Area SPALDING
WFO FFC
Report Source NWS Storm Survey
NCEI Data Source CSV
Begin Date 2009-02-18 20:56 EST-5
Begin Location 5WNW BLANTONS MILL
Begin Lat/Lon 33.25/-84.5
End Date 2009-02-18 21:02 EST-5
End Location 1S BLANTONS MILL
End Lat/Lon 33.21/-84.43
Deaths Direct/Indirect 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage 825.00K
Crop Damage 0.00K
Episode Narrative A strong cold front accompanied and deep negatively tilted upper trough through the eastern U.S. from the 18th into the 19th. An unseasonably warm and unstable air mass developed in advance of the cold front during the late afternoon and early evening across north and central Georgia as warm, moist air rode northward into Georgia on a strong low-level jet. Afternoon temperatures in the 70s and dewpoints in the 60s, combined with strong shear and moderate instability, resulted in the development of numerous supercell thunderstorms from mid-afternoon until a few hours after midnight on the 19th. Ten tornadoes, ranging in scale from EF0 to EF3 tracked across several north and central Georgia counties. The worst tornadoes affected the east central Georgia counties of Jasper, Putnam, Hancock, and Jasper. A death was observed in Hancock county with an EF3 tornado and several injuries were reported from Putnam and Hancock counties. In addition to the tornadoes, very large hail occurred with several of the thunderstorms, including four-inch diameter hail in Coweta and Fayette counties just south of Atlanta. Numerous reports of golf ball and larger-sized hail were received. The event resulted in millions of dollars of damage and the destruction of several homes in north and central Georgia counties.
Event Narrative A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the tornado that initially touched down in Meriwether county, then tracked across southern Coweta county, crossed into Spalding county approximately four miles east-northeast of Haralson or 7 miles west of Zetella. The tornado remain an EF2 as it tracked across southwest and into south central Spalding county, lifting just shy of the Pike county line about five miles west of Rover. Extensive damage was observed along the track of the tornado Four homes were completely destroyed and 40 others sustained minor to moderate damage. Dozens of trees were also down along the path of the tornado. The tornado tracked roughly five miles with southern Spalding county with a maximum path width of one mile and maximum winds of 120 mph.


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Event Map:

Note: The tornado track is approximate based on the beginning (B) and ending (E) locations. The actual tornado path may differ from a straight line.
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Measure
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All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 1 5 34.922M 0.00K
CHATTOOGAVILLE CHATTOOGA CO. GA 02/18/2009 15:57 EST-5 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
ARMUCHEE FLOYD CO. GA 02/18/2009 16:11 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 300.00K 0.00K
ROME FLOYD CO. GA 02/18/2009 16:15 EST-5 Funnel Cloud 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
OCEE FULTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:07 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
FAIRBURN FULTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:12 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 39 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
CUMMING FORSYTH CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:20 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 45 kts. EG 0 0 30.00K 0.00K
POWDER SPGS COBB CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:20 EST-5 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
BOWDON CARROLL CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:25 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 500.00K 0.00K
CUMMING FORSYTH CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:25 EST-5 Funnel Cloud 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
BOWDON CARROLL CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:29 EST-5 Funnel Cloud 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
MC WHORTER DOUGLAS CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:39 EST-5 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
CHAMBLEE DE KALB CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:40 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 2.500M 0.00K
POTTERVILLE TAYLOR CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:45 EST-5 Tornado EF0 0 0 50.00K 0.00K
FT VLY PEACH CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:49 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 280.00K 0.00K
LILBURN GWINNETT CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:49 EST-5 Hail 2.00 in. 0 0 2.500M 0.00K
PALMETTO FULTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:50 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 700.00K 0.00K
MADRAS COWETA CO. GA 02/18/2009 17:55 EST-5 Hail 4.25 in. 0 0 4.000M 0.00K
TYRONE FAYETTE CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:00 EST-5 Hail 3.00 in. 0 0 8.000M 0.00K
LOGANVILLE WALTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:03 EST-5 Hail 3.00 in. 0 0 2.500M 0.00K
JONESBORO CLAYTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:05 EST-5 Hail 3.00 in. 0 0 6.000M 0.00K
POWERSVILLE PEACH CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:07 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 280.00K 0.00K
ELBERTA HOUSTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:25 EST-5 Tornado EF0 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HAMPTON HENRY CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:25 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 1.400M 0.00K
STOCKBRIDGE HENRY CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:25 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 50.00K 0.00K
TALLAPOOSA HARALSON CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:28 EST-5 Hail 1.25 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
JAKE CARROLL CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:30 EST-5 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
STEWART NEWTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:42 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
NORTH HIGH SHOALS OCONEE CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:44 EST-5 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
TURPIN OCONEE CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:44 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 200.00K 0.00K
FINCHERVILLE BUTTS CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:45 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 240.00K 0.00K
HARDYS CROSSROADS JASPER CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:52 EST-5 Hail 1.50 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
BILL ARP DOUGLAS CO. GA 02/18/2009 18:56 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 1.000M 0.00K
WOODVILLE GREENE CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:05 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 56 kts. EG 0 0 6.00K 0.00K
EATONTON PUTNAM CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:15 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 130.00K 0.00K
SMITHBORO JASPER CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:15 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 250.00K 0.00K
ROCKMART POLK CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:19 EST-5 Lightning 0 0 150.00K 0.00K
WILLARD PUTNAM CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:19 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 1 200.00K 0.00K
FOREST PARK CLAYTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:26 EST-5 Hail 0.88 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
TYRONE WILKES CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:26 EST-5 Tornado EF3 0 0 300.00K 0.00K
WASHINGTON WILKES CO. GA 02/18/2009 19:30 EST-5 Hail 1.25 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
LASSITER NEWTON CO. GA 02/18/2009 20:05 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 625.00K 0.00K
SHADY DALE JASPER CO. GA 02/18/2009 20:16 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 125.00K 0.00K
LUTHERSVILLE MERIWETHER CO. GA 02/18/2009 20:30 EST-5 Tornado EF0 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
NEWNAN COWETA CO. GA 02/18/2009 20:30 EST-5 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 700.00K 0.00K
ST CHARLES COWETA CO. GA 02/18/2009 20:30 EST-5 Tornado EF2 0 0 500.00K 0.00K
BLANTONS MILL SPALDING CO. GA 02/18/2009 20:56 EST-5 Tornado EF2 0 0 825.00K 0.00K
BISHOP OCONEE CO. GA 02/18/2009 21:09 EST-5 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
GRIFFIN SPALDING CO. GA 02/18/2009 21:12 EST-5 Lightning 0 1 0.00K 0.00K
POTTERVILLE TAYLOR CO. GA 02/18/2009 21:25 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
HOGANSVILLE TROUP CO. GA 02/18/2009 21:48 EST-5 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
JACKSON BUTTS CO. GA 02/18/2009 21:53 EST-5 Hail 0.88 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
CULVERTON HANCOCK CO. GA 02/18/2009 22:48 EST-5 Tornado EF3 1 3 500.00K 0.00K
FOUR POINTS WARREN CO. GA 02/18/2009 22:54 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 25.00K 0.00K
MITCHELL GLASCOCK CO. GA 02/18/2009 22:56 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 25.00K 0.00K
MACON BIBB CO. GA 02/18/2009 23:47 EST-5 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
MACON BIBB CO. GA 02/18/2009 23:47 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 10.00K 0.00K
IRWINTON WILKINSON CO. GA 02/19/2009 00:23 EST-5 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
SANTA CLAUS TOOMBS CO. GA 02/19/2009 01:54 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 39 kts. EG 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
SANTA CLAUS TOOMBS CO. GA 02/19/2009 01:56 EST-5 Hail 0.88 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
Totals: 1 5 34.922M 0.00K