Tornados hit Central Atlanta!!! Damage reports coming in on CNN and here.

[Up2Late]

They just showed a big section of roof missing from the recently renovated "Cotton Mill Lofts" in Cabbage Town neighborhood. You may remember the big fire and the helicopter rescue a few years back? Same place.

Also, Big holes in the Georgia Dome roof, Part of the Roof ripped off of the CNN Center, Convention Center and Phillips Arena. Windows blown out of of the Omni Hotel.

More soon.

[Prefer]

1. Looks like a war zone

miracle that no one died

[Up2Late]

6. Sounds like someone from the Cotton Mill Lofts might yet...

...they said they have at least one person with "life threatening injuries"

[Up2Late]

2. The guy on CNN just said that a downtown building near Centennial Olympic Park Collapsed.

They didn't show any pictures yet though.

[RubyDuby in GA]

3. My work building is 4 blocks up from the CNN Center, et al

We had one of our employees at the SEC games tonight and she walked back up to the building. It got hit. No one can go in or out.

Also, we had a confirmed tornado about 5 miles from my house. I live about 35 miles outside Atlanta in Covington.

Scary scary night.

[aquart]

7. Welcome to the future.

I was never frightened of weather until Katrina. Now, I feel like the planet has decided our fifteen minutes are up.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

4. OMG! Just turned on CNN and they are feeding from their International channel.

It looks like a war zone. Geeze!

[Up2Late]

13. It's on both CNN and CNN/International, I just switched back to International ...

...less obnoxious commercials.

I wonder if they are still covering it on ESPN? They had a Collage Basketball game on O.T. when it hit.

[Lex]

5. Pix gallery from AJC

here:

http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/weather/wind...

[Up2Late]

17. Those are good pictures!

Amazing that they have them up on-line so quickly!

[napi21]

8. Our local channel has been covering this non-stop. I's really a mess!

It's extremely fortunate but unbelievable that there have been nothing but minor injuries. Mostly from flying glass from blown out windows. I have to agree with the weather guys when they say it's VERY RARE that you hear of something like this in a downtown area!

I really feel bad for all the people who are in town for the games and staying at the Omni Hotel! Apparently a LOT of the rooms had their windows blown out and are uninhabitable! All the hotels have been sold out, so where are they going to go?

[RubyDuby in GA]

9. Hey napi! Are you watching channel 2? They've had some pretty good coverage

There's no way I'm going to bed any time soon!

[napi21]

14. Yes, that's what I meant by "our local channel".

You know Ruby, what I find mindboggeling is that Atlanta is really not that far from here, and we don't even have any rain! I'm not complaining, but I just find it weird!

[RubyDuby in GA]

18. That is odd because it looks like a large swath on tv.

We've had two heavy downpours and a possible tornado less than 5 miles from my house. Local reports are saying it was, but it hasn't been confirmed yet by the National Weather Service. It is still lightning here pretty badly.

Me no likey.

[napi21]

22. Maybe you're closer than I am. I'm about 20 miles north of DT Atlanta.

It must be this crazy southern weather. It seems to always be in isolated sections, and even though they vary in size, there's an edge to the storm, and if you're on the other side of that edge, there's no problem. Pa. wans't like that! It would be the same kind of weather covering at least a 1/3 of the State, north to south and almost always moving east.

[RubyDuby in GA]

23. Covington is 35 miles SE of Atlanta

The weather for this year has been absolutely nuts. 70 degrees one day, snow flurries the next. I don't remember it ever being this bizarre.

[ulysses]

28. Ruby, if you're still up,

there's another line coming your way.

[Up2Late]

10. They are putting up plastic over the window openings already, fortunatly...

...it sounds like the windows blew OUT and not IN when it hit. They did show someone's suitcase and a Hotel room chair in the street!

One guy said he was watching T.V. and then BOOM! The windows blew out. He said he went immediately into the Hallway, like he learned in School.

[Prefer]

12. Actually it sounds like they were sucked out

people talked about the pressure changing rapidly. one said his ears popped. It must have been like a giant vacuum sucking over the city.

[RubyDuby in GA]

15. Pipes burst in the GA Dome because of the rapid pressure change.

There are several conventions in town and the SEC basketball tournament. This is a disaster!

[Up2Late]

19. No kidding, on Friday they were already talking about this weekend as a traffic disaster...

...even before the tornados. This really hit on the wrong weekend.

[napi21]

16. Yes, but wasn't it odd that they said they went to the restaurants and

got Saran Wrap to put over the windows? I know restaurants use heavier plastic wrap that we have in our kitchens, but....I guess you use whatever is available when your in an emergency.

[Up2Late]

20. Yup, we had a 24 hour Home Depot here a few years ago, but with the housing slump...

...I bet it's open regular hours now.

[aquart]

11. Right now, I think they're real pleased to be alive.

[Up2Late]

21. They are talking about it on ESPN now too.

I'd love to see the game video, it hit during O.T.

[emilyg]

24. It was one-hell-of a night here.

[Up2Late]

25. Were you downtown when they hit?

Or do you live in another area that got hit?

Btw, looks like another really nasty storm from the west, just crossing the state line according to the Weather Channels radar.

[emilyg]

29. Not downtown. My area got heavy storms. I'm grateful.

[opihimoimoi]

26. Holy fuchhhh...Catwoman is from that City.....I sure hope she is OK

:strong desire for her well being:

[ProdigalJunkMail]

27. another strong line coming in NOW

big boomer here in the northern extremities of ATL...good sized line heading for the city too! I think we have had enough for one night...

sP

[shadowknows69]

30. Damn, sending good vibes of safety to Georgia.