Ringgold, Georgia

... Preliminary report on severe weather event which occurred during
the early morning hours of may 11 2008...

Several damage survey teams from the National Weather Service office
in Peachtree City have now confirmed that at least five tornadoes
affected west central... north central... and central Georgia early
this morning. Here is the information we have so far.

Note... location of tornado no. 5... Laurens County... corrected from
southwest to northwest of Dublin.

Tornadoes no. 1 and 2 (rated ef2):
Carroll and Douglas counties/410 am EDT...

Widespread 25-mile long path of damage... up to three miles wide at
some spots... beginning in western Carroll County at approximately
410 am... starting along west Jonesville Road off Georgia Highway
166... just north of Bowden... continuing eastward roughly along
Georgia Highway 166 through Carrollton and eastward into western
Douglas County near Fairplay. There were two brief EF2 tornado
spinups along this path of damage... which was up to three miles wide
at points. The path length and width of each of these tornadoes was
100 yards or less. Maximum wind speeds within these tornadoes were
estimated at 110 mph. The first EF2 tornado spinup occurred within
the the community of Jonesville approximately two miles east of
where the wind damage commenced. The roofs were completely blown off
two homes and numerous trees were down in the area. The second EF2
tornado spinup occurred near Diamond court subdivision... off Cross
Plains Hulett Road. Damage here consisted of two homes with
significant damage... one completely destroyed... and a number of
homes with minor to moderate roof damage.

Outside the two EF2 tornadoes... widespread tree and roof damage from
straight-line winds was noted all along Georgia Highway 166 from
west of Carrollton... near Bowden... eastward to western Douglas
County near Fairplay. The Carrollton County emergency services
facility sustained moderate damage. Damage continued eastward along
Georgia Highway 166 toward the Douglas County line... mainly in the
form of downed trees and minor roof damage all along the path. At
various locations along this path... damage extended up to three
miles to the south... but this was determined to be straight-line
wind damage.

The damage from this straight-line wind event... and possible
additional spinup tornadoes..may well have continued into South
Fulton County. In addition... this parent thunderstorm appears to be
the same one that spawned the EF2 tornado in Clayton County. This