The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • A14

Filename: A14-MAIN-AJCD0316-3THRE created: Mar 15 2008 Username: SPEED4 Sunday, Mar 16, 2008 MAIN 1 4 A 3DOT 1 4 A Cyan Magenta Yellow Black A1 4 Sunday, March 16, 2008 3 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ajc.com 1 4 A Cyan Magenta Yellow Black 3DOT File name: A14-MAIN-AJCD0316-3THRE created: Mar 15 2008 Username: SPEED4 ATLANTA TORNADO: THE AFTERMATH Nature gives little advance warning By CRAIG SCHNEIDER The violent winds started pummeling downtown Atlanta punching holes in skyscrapers and kicking down the sides of buildings with brutal suddenness. But despite the perception that the tornado struck with virtually no advance notice, a warning did come. Just not much of one. The National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued a tornado warning about eight minutes before the twister touched down in the city Friday night, said meteorologist Verona Murrell. Twelve minutes is about an average amount of time for a tornado warning, said.

because, unlike hurricanes that can be tracked for days, tornados often whirl into being with and unpredictable speed. On Friday, the weather service spotted the rapidly circulating winds on radar and issued a tornado warning at 9:30 p.m. The weather service warnings are sent out to local TV and radio stations, weather radios, emergency management and cell phones programmed for weather alerts. TV stations typically air such warnings right away, said meteorologist Mike Griesinger. The twister that beat up Atlanta touched down at 9:38 p.m.

just west of the Georgia Dome, and hopscotched its way to the World Congress Center, the Omni, Philips Arena, the Equitable Building and then across to Cabbagetown. It lasted about 15 to 20 minutes, said. The tornado was declared a category EF 2, with the strongest winds reaching 135 mph. Tornadoes can reach up to a category EF 5 with winds over 200 mph. The tornado stretched 200 yards at its widest, and it left a path of damage six miles long, said meteorologist Griesinger.

Rocky Moore, director of the Fulton County Emergency Management Agency, which coordinates responses to major emergencies, said his team had been tracking the storm much of the day, and it had the potential but no indications of forming into a tornado. thought it would only be severe he said. After all, no twister had ever hit downtown Atlanta since such weather recording-keeping began in the 1880s. At 9 p.m. while Moore was at home the National Weather Service heightened what had been a severe thunderstorm warning to a tornado warning.

Moore headed into the Downtown Atlanta does not have outdoor tornado horns, he noted. did not give us much warning he said. Having no warning ter Mary Craig, of Dover, and her 10-year- old son Patrick, who were watching cartoons on the of The Glenn Hotel on Marietta Street when the storm hit. was talking on my cellphone when I heard a big Craig said. grabbed Patrick and headed for the basement.

The scariest thing is there was no warning. Hope I never have to go through anything like that Saturday was with repeated tornado watches and warnings. If Atlan tans were not familiar with tornado warnings before Friday, they are now. Staff writer Paul Kasko contributed to this report. CHRIS STANFIELD Staff Michael Wesley (leaning into his Honda) said his for Saturday was to retrieve his Wii video game from the trunk of his car on Nassau Street.

Cleanup: Work begins Continued from A 1 HYOSUB SHIN Staff William Lynn talks to his insurance company about damage to his car outside the CNN Center. HYOSUB SHIN Staff Homes in Vine City experienced some of the most severe damage from the tornado. and tossed into a The woman, Bonnie Gene Turner, in her early 60s, was killed, said Coroner Trey Litesey. State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine said the bulk of $150 million damage occurred at the Georgia World Congress Center, where windows were shattered, seats were scattered and portions of the ceiling were destroyed. John Heid, a spokesman for Allstate Insurance, said Saturday that it was too early to know the impact of the storms on private property owners.

Franklin warned people to stay out of the hardest-hit areas of the city downtown, Vine City, Cabbagetown and the Cotton Mill Lofts. not use this as an opportunity for she said. The city put 125 extra cers on the streets to patrol the areas where the tornado struck. Georgia Power workers were also out in force trying to restore electricity to customers who were without power Saturday evening. Friday storm affected the rich and the poor, the living and even the dead.

A downtown penthouse owned by media mogul Ted Turner in the Bona Allen building was damaged by the winds that also blew away all the belongings of a homeless woman sleeping under the Boulevard bridge over 1-20. On Saturday, the woman, who gave her name only as Tina, stood at the exit ramp holding a sign printed in black marker on cardboard, saying on the street need She said she and several other homeless people under the bridge heard big old coughing before their clothes and food were swept up. Oakland Cemetery lost dozens of trees and monuments. Ancient magnolias were split, a 20-foot obelisk that had marked the graves of the Winship family lay broken in half over a path, and a shredded window blind draped like a necklace around the marker of a Confederate soldier. looked like Wizard of said cemetery sexton Sam Reed, who was in his when the storm hit.

was At 170 Boulevard in Cabbagetown, about 50 search-and-rescue team members worked on a building where three areas, including an elevator shaft, collapsed. needed to shore up the rubble and debris before searching open areas in it for people, May said. The hunt for possible survivors or bodies was expected to continue into today. Cabbagetown residents Stephen and Diane Smallish were watching a and rerun Friday night when the storm hit. Shortly thereafter, a huge oak tree landed on their house, crushing the roof.

The roar of the tornado was so loud, they hear the tree hit their house. I heard the roar, I thought, my Stephen Smallish said. went out on the porch, got my dog and brought my dog inside. The roar lasted about 20 seconds and everything was Capt. Robert Parker of the Salvation Army was busy with his crew serving water, multigrain bars and coffee to emergency medical service workers and displaced people at Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts, which was heavily damaged by the storm.

In East Atlanta Village near Cabbagetown, shops and restaurants were shuttered Saturday night and lights stayed dark because of power outages. A wounded Grady helps Ambulances responded to 106 calls between 9 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, said Denise Simpson, spokeswoman for Grady EMS. Fifty people were taken to four hospitals, including 20 to Grady.

The same strong winds that sent patients to Grady also damaged buildings and ambulances there. Storm damage knocked three ambulances out of commission, including only operating neonatal transport unit. At Hughes Spalding pediatric hospital, owned by Grady and operated by Healthcare, staff members moved all 13 patients in residence to the basement for the duration of the storm, but the only damage was the loss of a few windows, said Kevin McClelland, spokesman for Healthcare. an hour, we were accepting patients he said. At least two historic buildings in the Grady complex suffered moderate damage and 17 of 18 buildings lost power, Grady said Saturday, but the main hospital remained up and running.

The National Weather Service declared Friday tornado a category F2, with the strongest winds reaching 135 mph. Tornadoes can reach up to a category F5 with 300 mph winds. The tornado, 200 yards at its widest, left a path of damage six miles long, meteorologist Mike Griesinger said. Atlantans had about eight warning a little less than the average amount for a tornado, Griesinger said. The warning paled in comparison with updates, which kept the public informed about the tempestuous weather throughout the day.

Events affected by storm Tens of thousands of basketball fans were disappointed when the tournament was moved from the Georgia Dome, where sections of the roof were ripped away, to Georgia Alexander Memorial Coliseum, which holds 16,000 fewer people. from the SEC, the schools remaining in the tournament and the Dome had deliberated from midnight to roughly 4 a.m. Saturday before announcing a new schedule and ticket policy. Access to the remaining games was limited to families, cheerleaders, bands and other credentialed individuals, the SEC announced. It just basketball fans who were disappointed.

The St. Day parade was canceled. The Spring Atlanta Home Show and the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting, both scheduled for the Georgia World Congress Center, were among the casualties of the storm. A Saturday night concert, the Winter Jam Spectacular Tour, expected to draw 18,000 people to Philips Arena, was canceled even though the arena damaged.

Not far from Philips Arena, a vacant two-story building across from Centennial Olympic Park collapsed. Two of the gigan tic Olympic torches toppled over. Massive pieces of metal siding peeled off a Marietta Street parking garage and wrapped around poles or clogged sidewalks and streets. have not seen anything like this Atlanta Battalion Chief Gerry Rusinski said. looked like when we pulled The mayor said the city would be working around the clock to clean up and get businesses, hotels and public venues back in operation.

are moving in textbook fashion to make sure that both state and federal government are engaged in what we are Franklin said. Tony Barnhart, Chandler Brown, Celine Bufkin, Rhonda Cook, Tim Eberly, Anisha Frizzel, Marcus K. Garner, Phil Gast, Sonji Jacobs, Drew Jubera, Paul Kasko, Mike Knobler, Andy Miller, Craig Schneider, Jeffrey Scott, Michelle E. Shaw, Ben Smith, Leon Stafford, Eric Stirgus and Chip Towers contributed to this article..