Severe Storms across north and central Georgia - March 3, 2012

Severe Thunderstorms in Georgia
March 2, 2012

On March 2, 2012 a strong "April-like" storm system moved across the southeast United States. A strong cold front moved into north Georgia Friday evening, March 2, and continued into central Georgia early Saturday morning, March 3. Very warm and moist air ahead of the cold front provided for sufficient instability to produce widespread strong to severe thunderstorms across the region which produced large hail, flooding and damaging winds. Large hail fell across Cobb and Floyd Counties where up to golf ball sized hail fell.

A tornado caused significant damage in Haralson and Paulding Counties. Another tornado occured about a half hour later in Cobb County. This was from the same supercell.

Haralson-Paulding County Tornado

Rating: EF-3

Max wind speed: 165 mph

Path length: 29 miles

Path width: 200 yards

Injuries: 1

Deaths: 0

Start time: 8:09 PM

End time: 8:50 PM

Begin point: 33.8681N/-85.2964W

End point: 33.9310N/-84.7965W

A tornado touched down in Haralson County, tracked across the county and moved into Paulding County. Some of the worst damage was along Bethlehem church road in Haralson County where a repair shop was destroyed and a house collapsed, injuring a person inside. This area was rated at EF-3 damage. Other damage in Haralson County included a metal roof blown off a mobile home, a church steeple blown off on Mount Zion East Road and a mobile home pushed off its foundation along Bethlehem Church Road. In the vicinity of Highway 27 and Harpers Creek Road numerous trees and telephone poles were snapped. In Paulding County the hardest hit area was near the Paulding County Airport. Three to four planes were flipped and a jet and hanger were destroyed. A portion of the roof was blown off an elementary school. At least forty homes sustained roof damage. Hundreds of trees were snapped and uprooted.

KML

Home Destroyed in Haralson Co.

Damage to the Paulding Co Airport Hanger.

Cobb County Tornado

Location: Cobb County
Rating: EF-1
Max wind speed: 100 mph
Path length: 1.4 miles
Path width: 150 yards
Injuries: 0
Deaths: 0
Start time: 914 PM
End time: 915 PM
Begin point: 33.9798N/-84.4608W
End point: 33.9799N/-84.4362W

The damage from this tornado was located along Roswell Road/Highway 120. It began in and around East Cobb Park and continued along Roswell Road. There was roof damage to a daycare and a house near Providence Road and Roswell Road. Minor tree and roof damage continued just north of Roswell Road and ended near the Indian Ridge subdivision.

KML

Trees down in East Cobb Park.

One of the large trees down in East Cobb Park.

More detailed information, including pictures and maps, will be added as this information becomes available.