A deep full latitude upper trough was sweeping from the central U.S. into the eastern U.S.  A strong cold front accompanied the system.  An unseasonably warm, moist air mass was present across Georgia in advance of this system.  Widespread moderate to heavy rain tracked repeatedly across the northern 1/4th of the state throughout much of the day in advance of the main weather system.  Toward evening, a line of strong thunderstorms entered the northwest part of the state, spawning a brief F0 tornado in Chattooga county.  While the line of thunderstorms continued to progress across the state, it weakened through the evening, but intensified after midnight as it moved across west central and central Georgia spawning another brief tornado in Monroe county during the early morning hours.  Other isolated strong thunderstorms caused wind damage. During the afternoon of the 7th, strong northwest winds spread across the region behind the cold front, blowing down several trees in north Georgia, injuring one person in Whitfield county in northwest Georgia.

Flood in PICKENS, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 19:00:00 to 07-JAN-09 08:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: TALKING ROCK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The Pickens County Progress of Jasper reported that heavy rain pushed many creeks in the county out of their banks.  Talking Rock Creek rose from one foot to eight feet.  Part of Talking Rock Highway had to be closed because of a mudslide.  Several other roads were closed because of localized flooding, including Petit, Jordan, Mineral Springs, Fortner, and Thompson Lane.  Damage was limited to debris removal, mostly as a result of the mudslide.

Flood in WHITFIELD, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 20:26:00 to 11-JAN-09 09:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: PARRETT CROSSING
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The Daily Citizen of Dalton reported that heavy rain caused flooding on many roads throughout the county.  Some specific roads impacted by high water included Cohutta-Varnell Road, Old Mill Road, Old Cleveland Highway, along with several others.  Damage was confined to debris removal.

Flood in GORDON, GEORGIA
From 07-JAN-09 03:00:00 to 08-JAN-09 05:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: HILL CITY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

The USGS stream gage on Oothkalooga Creek at Georgia Highway 53 Spur, one mile south of Calhoun, reached its flood stage of 18 feet at 0300 AM EST on January 7th, and remained at or above flood stage until 1345 on January 7th.  In addition, the Coosawattee River at Pine Chapel Road, five miles east of Resaca, reached flood stage of 22 feet at 0712 AM EST on January 7th and remained above flood stage until 0512 AM EST on January 8th.  The Calhoun Times reported that 36 roads across the county were closed because of flooding.  Two drivers that disregarded barricades had to be rescued from flood waters.  Finally, parts of the Calhoun Recreational Department were flooded for the first time in 10 years.  Damage was confined to minor debris removal.

Flood in FLOYD, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 18:15:00 to 11-JAN-09 10:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: CRYSTAL SPGS
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

The USGS river gage on the Armuchee Creek, three miles southeast of Armuchee at Old Dalton Road, reached flood stage of 19 feet at 615 pm EST on January 6th.  The creek remained in flood stage at this point until January 11th at 1015 am EST.  Then, five miles west-southwest of Armuchee, Health Creek reached flood stage of eight feet for approximately 15 minutes at 1100 pm EST.  Finally, the Coosa River six miles southwest of Rome at the Mayo Lock and Dam reached flood stage of 24 feet and remained in a minor flood state until January 10th at 725 am EST.  Several roads in the county were at least temporarily closed because of high water and flooding.  The Rome News Tribune reported that 62 roads across the county that were closed during the height of the flooding.  In addition, Heritage Park and Ridge Ferry Park were also flooded.  Damage from the flooding resulted in debris removal in portions of the county.

Flood in MURRAY, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 23:33:00 to 09-JAN-09 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: GREGORY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The Dalton Citizen of Dalton reported that heavy rain caused several creeks and streams across the county to overflow their banks.  High water forced the closure of several roads.  Approximately 4000 acres of the Perry Farm were flooded by the Conasauga River and Sumach Creek when they came out of their banks.  Mill Creek rose out of its banks and flooded a trailer park on Third Avenue.  Norton Bridge on the north end of the county was flooded and had to be closed as well as parts of Georgia Highway 225 North above Red Cut Road and Patricia Avenue in Spring Place.  Also on Georgia Highway 255, saturated soil from the heavy rain caused a tree to fall on the road blocking the highway in both directions between Spring Place and Central for more than an hour.  In addition, several pastures on Maddox Mill Road were flooded by Cohulla Creek.  Two men stranded in high water near Old Georgia Highway 2 in Cisco had to be rescued and two other men had to be rescued from rising waters while boating down Jacks River.  All were rescued without injury or incident.

Thunderstorm Wind in GORDON, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 17:45:00 to 06-JAN-09 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: RESACA
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Gordon County 911 Center reported that four trees and one power line were down across the northern part of the county.

Flood in CATOOSA, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 18:00:00 to 08-JAN-09 05:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: BURNING BUSH
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia determined that flooding occurred on the West Chickamauga Creek, the South Chickamauga Creek, and Peavine Creek.  All of these creeks overflowed their banks and caused minor flooding of adjacent low-lying areas, woodlands, and fields.  The Catoosa County News reported that the Battlewood Apartments off Fant Drive were threatended by flood waters.  Residents of the apartment complex were evacuated as a precaution, but no damage to property occurred.  Overall, damage was limited to debris removal.

Thunderstorm Wind in FLOYD, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 17:15:00 to 06-JAN-09 17:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: COOSA
Magnitude: 53.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A CocoRaHS observer on the southeast side of Rome reported that several trees and at least one power line were down in the area.  A wind gust of 61 mph was measured at the Floyd Medical Center in Rome at 530 pm EST.

Flood in CHEROKEE, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 12:20:00 to 07-JAN-09 19:02:00 (EST-5)
Location: CANTON CHEROKEE ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

The USGS gage on the Etowah River, 1.5 miles northeast of Canton near Interstate-575, reached flood stage of 17 feet at 1220 pm EST on January 6th and continued at or above flood stage until 702 pm EST.  In addition, the Little River at Georgia Highway 5, two miles northeast of Woodstock, reached flood stage of 11.0 feet briefly at 230 pm EST on January 6th.  Damage was confined to minor debris removal.

Flood in CHATTOOGA, GEORGIA
From 07-JAN-09 12:00:00 to 08-JAN-09 02:32:00 (EST-5)
Location: EAST TRION
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia determined that flooding occurred on Racoon Creek at Hair Lake Road, and Spring Creek at Spring Creek Road.  Small streams also overflowed their banks at Fish Hatchery Road and Ragland Road.  In addition, the Chattooga River went into minor flood until the January 8th at 232 AM EST.  Damage was confined to minor debris removal.

Flood in BANKS, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 12:30:00 to 06-JAN-09 14:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: HOMER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The Banks County Emergency Management Director reported that Webb Creek, approximately four miles southeast of Homer, overflowed its banks at Marshburn Drive.  At least six inches of water was flowing over the road at this location for about two hours.  Damage was confined to minor debris removal.

Tornado in CHATTOOGA, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 17:05:00 to 06-JAN-09 17:08:00 (EST-5)
Location: ROWELL SIDING
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that a brief EF0 tornado touched down four miles east-southeast of Chattoogaville and moved north-northeast paralleling Georgia Highway 100 for just a little over a 2-mile long track.  Spotty tree damage was observed along Old Holland Road and Georgia Highway 100 along the tornado track.  Light to moderate damage was observed to the roofs of three buildings and several outbuildings, some of which may have been a product of straight-line winds.

Flood in FORSYTH, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 12:30:00 to 07-JAN-09 06:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: HIGHTOWER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The Forsyth County Emergency Management Director reported that the Etowah River had risen out of it banks at Old Federal Road and Nicholson Road in the northwest part of the county.  Nicholson Road was inundated with at least a foot of water near Bannister Creek.  In addition, Setting Down Creek was flooding at Concord and Oak Grove Roads.  Six roads were closed as a result of these flooding incidents.  Windermere Park in the southeast part of the county was also closed as a consequence of flooding from the Etowah River.  Damage was limited to debris removal.

Flood in BARTOW, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 12:20:00 to 07-JAN-09 08:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: LADDS
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The Daily Tribune News of Cartersville reported that four roads in the county were closed because of flooding.   These included Parr Wade Bishop and Old Grassdale Roads in Cartersville, Puckett Road in Emerson, and Euharlee Road in the Mission Ridge Subdivision.  The later of which was a result of a collapsed retaining wall.  Damage was limited to minor debris removal.

Flood in POLK, GEORGIA
From 06-JAN-09 22:00:00 to 07-JAN-09 09:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: CEDARTOWN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The Rockmart Journal and the Cedartown Standard documented two flooding events in Polk county.  Euharlee Creek overflowed its banks in downtown Rockmart submerging a portion of Silver Comet Trail.  A portion of Seaborn James Park was also flooded.  Cedar Creek also overflowed its banks causing temporary flooding of some city streets in Cedartown.  A portion of West Avenue was briefly submerged under several inches of water at the height of the flooding.  Damage was limited to debris removal.

Thunderstorm Wind in CHATTAHOOCHEE, GEORGIA
From 07-JAN-09 02:16:00 to 07-JAN-09 02:20:00 (EST-5)
Location: CUSSETA
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Chattahoochee County 911 Center reported that numerous trees were down on Fire Tower Road east of Cusseta and about six trees were down on Georgia Highway 26 east of Cusseta near mile marker number eight.

Tornado in MONROE, GEORGIA
From 07-JAN-09 03:00:00 to 07-JAN-09 03:04:00 (EST-5)
Location: SMARR
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF0 tornado touched down near 412 Reedy Creek Road, approximately five miles southeast of Forsyth, then tracked eastward for approximately three miles across southeast Monroe county.  The maximum path width was estimated to be 100 yards.  Maximum winds were estimated at 85 mph.  The tornado moved east across U.S. Highway 41 near the Smarr water tower, then dissipated as it crossed Interstate-75 southeast of the Rumble Road Industrial Park.  One home sustained moderate damage to its roof and siding.  Three other structures sustained minor shingle damage along the path of the tornado.  Trees were sporadically either snapped or uprooted along the path of the tornado.