HanKFranK
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Loc: Graniteville, SC
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It's a strictly Georgia-Carolina thing, but we had one of those rare days where a big mess of supercell thunderstorms put tornadoes down all over the area. The storm prediction center put my region in a high risk category yesterday, and the storms came on like crazy during the late afternoon hours. I'm sort of amazed that nobody died in our region, with all the tornado reports and long-lived supercells. One of the early birds up in northwest Georgia claimed a couple, but the most extensive part of the outbreak in eastern Georgia and much of South Carolina somehow spared everyone else. It's not like they all missed populated areas, but mostly did. Towns like Wrens, GA, and Branchville, SC make notable exceptions.
The supercell that hit my immediate area tracked in up near Clark's Hill Lake and put down a tornado in North Augusta... presumably the same one that went through "the Valley", our cluster of mostly low-income former mill towns. Besides wrecking utilities and some residential damage, there aren't reports of any large-scale catastrophic damage. I could hear a persistent rumbling out during the storm, which didn't sound like familiar thunder, but don't know if it was a tornado or not. Same supercell traced US 78 down to the coast... reports of damage and tornado sightings the whole way down to the low county.
We've had a rougher-than-normal late winter/early spring storm season... looks like more on the way.
Another round comes in on Wednesday, after roughing up points west. The predominant storm track looks to bring in more of those systems that cause destructive thunderstorms in the southeast, and the rest of March should follow the trend.
On the other hand, a great majority of the 69 tornado deaths this season came during the massive outbreak on February 5th. For all the fireworks here the other day, our fortunes don't even compare.
HF 0032z17march
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cieldumort
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Posts: 2497
Loc: Austin, Tx
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The situations surrounding the prior night's tornadic supercell that tracked through downtown Atlanta simply amazingly spared thousands from potential injuries. I can't imagine what we would be reading about had the Mississippi State vs. University of Alabama game at the Georgia Dome not gone into OT.
It's our turn today into Tuesday here in central Texas. SPC already has a pretty strong Day 1 up - wouldn't take much for them to bump the existing Slight Risk to a Mod around here. Considering a more linear mode developing eventually, by far most of the reports should be of wind and hail; however, we do tend to get some potent misocyclones embedded within QLCSs around here.
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HanKFranK
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Posts: 1841
Loc: Graniteville, SC
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By virtue of my job I've gotten a better look at some of the damage... will probably map some of it. I'm more amazed than ever that nobody died. The one that got our area was an F2 and traveled right through a fairly populated area, with lots of trailers and small, elderly frame houses. Not even an injury. I believe the local tally was 81 homes with substantial damage, 16 made unlivable or destroyed. The water tower in Bath being blown down has made for boiling restrictions, but it appears that most areas have utilities back up.
From what I hear, Branchville SC may have taken the most fearsome hit. The tornado was an F3 when it passed through, and much of the small downtown is torn to shreds.
I didn't know the details about the game being in OT in Atlanta. That most likely saved some lives.
Storm coming through on Monday the 24th has an interesting look. The temps in this area keep trending down, with the forecast models converging on a much colder storm. Might be winter precip in the Piedmont over to the Mid-Atlantic.. but I'm too jaded with impotent winter storms to be willing to bite into this one just yet.
HF 0258z20march
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Clark
Meteorologist
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A friend and I chased the outbreak in GA on March 15th...made it up to the I-20 corridor and followed a few tornado-warned cells but never did see anything produce in that regard. By the time we got up there, the greater tornado threat had shifted into SC anyway. Tons of directional shear with the zonal mid-tropospheric flow plus ample instability for March led to some very healthy updrafts, though, leading to a ton of hail. We stopped for about 30-45 minutes in Hillsboro, GA playing around in 1-2" deep hail and hail fog. All in all, well worth the trip -- often severe weather in this region isn't such prolific with regards to hail.
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