Storm Events Database

Storm Events Database

Event Details

Event Thunderstorm Wind
Magnitude 39 kts.
State GEORGIA
County/Area MERIWETHER
WFO FFC
Begin Date 12/22/2011 17:42:00 EST-5
Begin Range 2
Begin Azimuth SW
Begin Location PRIMROSE
Begin Lat/Lon 33.11/-84.77
End Date 12/22/2011 17:44:00 EST-5
End Range 1
End Azimuth NE
End Location PRIMROSE
End Lat/Lon 33.14/-84.74
Deaths Direct/Indirect 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage 1.00K
Crop Damage 0.00K
Episode Narrative A deep trough, quite characteristic of the early winter season of 2011-2012, was anchored across the southwest U.S. with broad southwest flow aloft evident from the southwest U.S. toward the mid-Atlantic. A summer-like Bermuda high pressure area was anchored off the southeast U.S. coast. A stationary front extended across the lower Mississippi valley toward the mid-Atlantic with a cold front approaching from the west of this region from Texas toward the Great lakes. The air mass across the region in advance of the stationary front was extremely moist, warm, and unstable for mid-December. As an embedded strong short wave traversed the region in the southwest flow aloft, a period of strong shear and marginal instability translated across the region during the late afternoon and early evening. These synoptic features supported a strong to severe quasi-linear convective system, or squall line, which moved across the state from west to east during the late afternoon and evening. The line of thunderstorms spawned a half-a-dozen tornadoes causing extensive damage across several counties from west central into northwest and north central Georgia. As the line moved east past Atlanta, it weakened considerably and no further severe weather was observed across east Georgia. The six tornadoes occurring on this date tied the record for the most tornadoes ever occurring during December within the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area in December, namely six in 2005.
Event Narrative The Meriwether County 911 Center reported that a few trees were down in the Primrose Community. WSR-88D indicated a mesoscale circulation developing in the area at the time, which later tracked across far south and southeast Fayette county spawning a brief EF1 tornado near Lake Horton.


All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 0 7 3.213M 0.00K
ESOM HILL POLK CO. GA 12/22/2011 16:34 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 39 kts. EG 0 0 0.50K 0.00K
COOSA FLOYD CO. GA 12/22/2011 16:50 EST-5 Tornado EF2 0 3 2.250M 0.00K
PINSON FLOYD CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:03 EST-5 Tornado EF0 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
ADAIRSVILLE BARTOW CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:05 EST-5 Tornado EF0 0 0 150.00K 0.00K
PLAINVILLE GORDON CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:07 EST-5 Tornado EF3 0 4 500.00K 0.00K
CARLISLE GILMER CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:32 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 75.00K 0.00K
HOGANSVILLE TROUP CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:32 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
HANDY COWETA CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:37 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
WINSTON DOUGLAS CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:39 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 37 kts. EG 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
BARTLETTS FERRY LAKE HARRIS CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:40 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 37 kts. EG 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
PRIMROSE MERIWETHER CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:42 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 39 kts. EG 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
ST CHARLES COWETA CO. GA 12/22/2011 17:44 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 150.00K 0.00K
DREW FORSYTH CO. GA 12/22/2011 18:16 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 25.00K 0.00K
WOOLSEY RUST ARPT FAYETTE CO. GA 12/22/2011 18:16 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 25.00K 0.00K
LEES MILL FAYETTE CO. GA 12/22/2011 18:18 EST-5 Tornado EF0 0 0 25.00K 0.00K
LOVEJOY CLAYTON CO. GA 12/22/2011 18:21 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 37 kts. EG 0 0 1.50K 0.00K
HAMPTON HENRY CO. GA 12/22/2011 18:30 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 37 kts. EG 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
MONROE WALTON CO. GA 12/22/2011 19:20 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 36 kts. EG 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
Totals: 0 7 3.213M 0.00K