Thunderstorm Damage in Georgia - March 12, 2010

Severe Thunderstorms in Georgia
March 12, 2010

Thunderstorm wind damage in Whitfield county & weak tornado in Dooly county...

Preliminary Local Storm Reports

On Friday, March 12, 2010, a surface low pressure system was located over the central plains with an associated cold front extending across the southeastern United States. In addition to a strong low level jet across the southeast, this low pressure system drew moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into north and central Georgia. Despite weak instability across the state, scattered thunderstorms developed ahead of the cold front and a few of the thunderstorms became severe.

This was primarily a hail event with the majority of the thunderstorms producing pea to nickel sized hail, which is below severe criteria, however, quarter sized hail was observed across portions of northeast Georgia. In addition, the thunderstorms produced damage in two counties across the county warning area which was assessed by two National Weather Service storm survey teams from Peachtree City. It was determined that in Whitfield County, a downburst occurred around 1 PM on Friday with winds estimated around 70 miles an hour. Trees were uprooted, the roof was torn off two barns, chicken houses sustained damage and two mobile homes were severely damaged by fallen trees. During the late afternoon on Friday, an EF0 tornado in Dooly County occurred, with winds estimated near 70 miles an hour, which knocked a tree onto a house, tore a tin roof off of a horse stable, and blew a large wooden billboard onto a car.

Maps of damage paths... ( click images to enlarge )
Path of EF0 tornado that struck south of Unadilla in Dooly County.	Polygon depicting the area in Whitfield County that was affected by the downburst.

Photos from Dooly County... ( click images to enlarge )
Tin roof torn off portion of horse stable near I-75.	Large wooden billboard fell on a car near I-75.

Photos from Whitfield County... ( click images to enlarge )
Twelve to eighteen inches of pea sized hail fell March 12 in Whitfield County. Some of the hail remained on the ground a day later.	Mobile home in Whitfield County was severely damaged by fallen tree.	A second mobile home was damaged by an uprooted tree.
Two thirds of a tin roof was torn off a barn.	Damage to chicken house.	Multiple walls of a barn collapsed.