PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
845 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

...PRELIMINARY REPORT FOR MARCH 14TH CITY OF ATLANTA TORNADO...

A DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS CONFIRMED THAT AN EF2 TORNADO TRACKED
THROUGH THE HEART OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA BETWEEN 938 AND 950 PM EST
ON FRIDAY, MARCH 14TH.

THE TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF SIMPSON AND
BURBANK STREETS IN THE VINE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD AT APPROXIMATELY 938
PM.  THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED DUE EAST OVER THE CENTER OF THE
GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER /ABOUT 100 YARDS NORTH OF THE GEORGIA
DOME WHERE AN SEC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT WAS TAKING PLACE/...ACROSS
THE CNN/OMNI HOTEL COMPLEX AND PHILLIPS ARENA /WHERE AN NBA
BASKETBALL GAME WAS UNDERWAY/...OVER THE EQUITABLE BANK
TOWER...ACROSS I-85/75 AT THE EDGEWOOD EXIT...AND THEN INTO THE
COTTON MILL LOFTS ACROSS FROM OAKLAND CEMETERY.  FROM THIS
POINT...THE TORNADO WEAKENED BUT CAUSED SPOTTY TREE AND ROOF DAMAGE
INTO EXTREME WESTERN DEKALB COUNTY NEAR THE JUNCTION OF BRAEBURN AND
JOSEPHINE STREETS...WHERE IT LIFTED.  THE TORNADO HAD A TOTAL PATH
LENGTH OF SIX MILES AND A MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 200 YARDS AT ITS
MAXIMUM STRENGTH.  MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMATED NEAR 130
MPH...WHICH IS A HIGH END EF2 ON THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE.  AS IT
MOVED ACROSS THE GWCC/CNN/OMNI COMPLEX...THE TORNADO WIDTH WAS ABOUT
100 YARDS WIDE AND PRODUCED HIGH EF1 WINDS OF ABOUT 100 MPH.

AT LEAST 50 HOMES WERE DAMAGED BY THE TORNADO...AS WERE SEVERAL
MULTI-STORY TOWERS AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS NEAR AND EAST OF THE
CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK.  WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT OF MANY OF THE
TOWERS...AT ALL HEIGHTS.  DAMAGE IN RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS
RANGED FROM ROOFING MATERIALS BLOWN FROM HOMES AND BUSINESSES TO
TREES FALLING ON STRUCTURES AND VEHICLES.  THE COTTON MILL LOFTS
EXPERIENCED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WITH THE ROOF BLOWN OFF AND
EXTERIOR WALLS OF THE TOP /FOURTH/ FLOOR BLOWN INWARD.  TWO SECTIONS
OF THE FOURTH FLOOR COLLAPSED ALL THE WAY INTO BASEMENT OF THE
BUILDING...TRAPPING SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE COMPLEX.

NO WEATHER-RELATED FATALITIES WERE REPORTED WITH THE TORNADO...BUT
NUMEROUS NON-LIFE-THREATING INJURIES OCCURRED.

THE NWS IS GRATEFUL TO THE ATLANTA POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR PROVIDING
AERIAL SURVEY SUPPORT AND TO THE ATLANTA/FULTON COUNTY EMA FOR THEIR
ASSISTANCE.

$$

LPR/SBK