Published Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Hail of a storm

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Times-Herald

A fierce storm passed through northern Coweta County Wednesday evening, dropping massive amounts of hail -- some the size of small baseballs.

Hail reportedly cracked car windshields and blew through windows, but there was only one report of serious damage.

Jay Jones, Coweta's emergency management director, said one home along Hwy. 70 near Roscoe sustained some damage to the roof.

"That is all we have at this time," Jones said at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

More severe weather was expected late Wednesday.

A resident of the Canongate subdivision reported two windows in his home were broken by hail, spraying glass everywhere. Another Canongate resident reported a softball-sized ball of hail crashed through a window in his home and landed in the bedroom.

Melinda Cole of Ridley Road near Palmetto had feared the worst after hearing reports of funnel clouds and 100 mph winds, but the heavy winds didn't last.

"It seemed like more hail than wind," she said. Hail started coming down sporadically, and then got very heavy, so she and her son, Ryan, took cover. But the heavy storm appeared to last less than five minutes.

After the storm passed, there was so much hail "it looked like it had snowed," Cole said.

Patricia Palmer, Coweta's public information officer, was in Fairburn when the storm hit. She heard reports of vehicles traveling on Interstate 85 sustaining severe hail damage, and heard anecdotal evidence that one home in northern Coweta had been damaged by the hail.

"Luckily, we dodged the damage this time," Jones said. Jones said there were reports of 50 to 60 mph winds. When the storm started heading toward Coweta, Jones said he coordinated with local public safety agencies and the hospital.

"Everyone was on alert, and prepared," Jones said.