A series of upper level disturbances moved through the Southeast from the 22nd into the 23rd, rotating around the mid-level low pressure system located near the Great Lakes.  These disturbances combined with increasing low level moisture and moderate instability as a result of southerly flow around a surface high located in the western Atlantic.  Strong to severe thunderstorms moved into northwest Georgia from northeast Alabama on Wednesday evening, and moved across north Georgia through midnight.  An EF-1 tornado touched down in Floyd County just east of Rome.  Isolated reports of large hail were received as the storms moved across north Georgia.

Hail in HALL, GEORGIA
From 22-FEB-12 23:35:00 to 22-FEB-12 23:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: OAKWOOD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public reported that nickel to quarter size hail occurred for approximately ten minutes in the Oakwood area.

Lightning in JACKSON, GEORGIA
From 23-FEB-12 00:00:00 to 23-FEB-12 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: COMMERCE
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Jackson County 911 Center reported a house fire sparked by lightning outside of Commerce.  The house was an old Victorian home that had been converted into apartments.  Seven residents escaped without injury, but the house was heavily damaged.

Hail in MADISON, GEORGIA
From 23-FEB-12 00:15:00 to 23-FEB-12 00:20:00 (EST-5)
Location: SANFORD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Madison County 911 Center relayed a first-responder report of nickel to quarter-sized hail in the Seagraves Mill Road area near the Madison/Jackson County Line.

Hail in JACKSON, GEORGIA
From 22-FEB-12 23:50:00 to 23-FEB-12 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: HOSCHTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

The Jackson County 911 Center reported that nickel to quarter size hail fell from Hoschton to Jefferson between 11:50 PM and midnight.  Additional reports of heavy rain and large hail were received from the public through this area.

Tornado in FLOYD, GEORGIA
From 22-FEB-12 22:12:00 to 22-FEB-12 22:18:00 (EST-5)
Location: FORRESTVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 1600.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-1 tornado touched down in Rome just west of the Maplewood Subdivision. EF-1 damage, consisting mostly of uprooted and snapped trees, occurred as the tornado moved in a general easterly direction.  The tornado traveled east of Rome and nearly paralleled Kingston Highway, where the most significant damage was sustained near the intersection of Kingston Highway and Freeman Ferry.  At this location, a small store lost a significant portion of its roof, and the entire roof was blown off of a single-wide manufactured home.  The one indirect fatality associated with the storm occurred at this location, when a 73-year-old woman died of a heart attack after the storm passed.  The tornado continued to parallel Kingston Highway, uprooting numerous trees.  A couple of outbuildings were damaged or destroyed due to falling trees, and a single-wide manufactured home was heavily damaged when a tree fell on it. The tornado weakened to an EF-0 and finally lifted just east of the intersection of Kingston Highway and Mathis Road.
[02/22/12: Tornado #1, County #1-1, EF1, Floyd, 2012:004].