Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Atlanta, GA
Issued by NWS Atlanta, GA
657 NOUS42 KFFC 131906 AAA PNSFFC GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-140715- Public Information Statement...UPDATED National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 306 PM EDT Mon May 13 2024 ...NWS Damage Survey for 05/08/24 to 05/09/24 Tornado Event Update # 2... .Update...To include Gilmer County EF-1 Tornado near Ellington Road and Old Highway 5 South. More to come from this area likely in the next few days. Official Tornado Count from this event: 3 .Overview... Several rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through portions of north and central Georgia on Wednesday, May 8 and Thursday, May 9, 2024. These storms were part of a larger storm system that impacted a large portion of the Southeast United States. Several storms moved into an unstable environment favorable for tornadoes on the evening (and overnight hours) of May 8-9, with another round firing up during the afternoon on May 9. Multiple survey teams from NWS Peachtree City coordinated with county emergency management to determine the extent of the damage across the area. Additional updates are likely througout the week as further damage assessment is done. See below for more details. .Ellington Road/Old Highway 5 South (Gilmer County) Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 100 mph Path Length /statute/: 0.64 miles Path Width /maximum/: 150 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 05/08/2024 Start Time: 11:42 PM EDT Start Location: 2 SW East Ellijay / Gilmer County / GA Start Lat/Lon: 34.6641 / -84.5084 End Date: 05/08/2024 End Time: 11:44 PM EDT End Location: 2 SW East Ellijay / Gilmer County / GA End Lat/Lon: 34.6662 / -84.4977 Survey Summary: Evidence of a tornado occurred very near the intersection of Ellington Road and Old Highway 5 South, a little more than 2 miles south-southwest of Ellijay in Gilmer County. The tornado destroyed parts of 2 single-story storage units (made of tin/metal) as well as a Georgia Forestry building that houses large equipment. Based on the damage at these locations, it is estimated the tornado had wind speeds between 90-100 mph (EF-1). As the tornado crossed Old Highway 5 South, additional minor roof damage along with a few small to medium trees snapped. The last of this damage was seen near the CSX Railroad just north of the Progress Road and Casey Drive intersection. NOTE: this damage **may** be part of a longer track tornado or multiple tornadoes from the same complex of severe storms, but due to complex terrain (difficulty accessing any roads in forested areas), further investigation (by air) is currently happening. Updates are likely in the next several days. .Dodge/Wheeler County Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 90 mph Path Length /statute/: 31.99 miles Path Width /maximum/: 300 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 05/09/2024 Start Time: 12:43 PM EDT Start Location: Dubois / Dodge County / GA Start Lat/Lon: 32.3056 / -83.2744 End Date: 05/09/2024 End Time: 01:25 PM EDT End Location: 1 ESE Alamo / Wheeler County / GA End Lat/Lon: 32.1434 / -82.769 Survey Summary: An EF1 tornado with maximum winds at 90 mph touched down Thursday, May 9th at At 12:43 PM EDT. EF0 damage to trees was observed along Cochran Hwy roughly a tenth of a mile northwest of the center of Dubois. The tornado tracked southeastward crossing Wilson Woodward Road where a swath within a stand of hardwood trees in a field were snapped and uprooted. The tornado continued southeastward paralleling Bell Line Road before turning ESE and lifting up a metal roof off the awning of a home and snapping large branches from trees. The tornado then crossed Bell Line Road and lifted shingles off the roof of a home and lifted the roof off of a small outbuilding. The tornado continued southeast and intensified where EF1 damage to trees was observed on Chester Highway and in the woods along Gum Swamp Road. As the tornado approached the intersection of Gum Swamp Road and Dublin Hwy, EF1 damage was observed as well as EF0 damage to a small outbuilding. The tornado continued east southeast producing EF0 tree damage generally along and north of a line paralleling Glyen Hickman Road/Golden Road before turning eastward. The tornado crossed GA Hwy 46 where EF0 tree damage was observed before turning to the southeast through mostly rural and wooded areas before crossing Dublin-McRae Hwy. As the tornado approached Alamo, tree damage consistent with EF0 winds was observed along Little Rock Road. When the tornado entered the town of Alamo, EF0 damage was observed to a small outbuilding where a wall had collapsed, a canopy on a former service station had been damaged, and a free standing light pole had been downed. .Montgomery/Toombs County Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 90 mph Path Length /statute/: 14.7 miles Path Width /maximum/: 250 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 05/09/2024 Start Time: 01:39 PM EDT Start Location: 3 S Kibbee / Montgomery County / GA Start Lat/Lon: 32.2466 / -82.5416 End Date: 05/09/2024 End Time: 01:54 PM EDT End Location: 1 SE Lyons / Toombs County / GA End Lat/Lon: 32.1912 / -82.3136 Survey Summary: An EF1 tornado with maximum winds of 90mph touched down on Thursday May 9, 2024 at 1:39PM EDT in an unpopulated area northwest of Higgston GA along hwy 227 where a few trees were downed along both sides of the hwy. The tornado tracked southeastward through a mostly wooded unpopulated area before reaching the community of Higgston. Trees were snapped along Saw Mill Road to the west of Higgston. The tornado reached EF1 intensity as it reached Hwy 15 and Azalea Dr where numerous trees were snapped including several onto homes, outbuildings and cars in that area. The tornado continued eastward along Hwy 280 snapping and uprooting trees crossing the Montgomery and Toombs county line continuing to parallel hwy 280 to the south. As the tornado entered the city of Vidalia, trees and powerlines were downed throughout the city, particularly south of the downtown area in the 7th to 9th street area along Adams street. In the downtown area, a roof off of one of the buildings along Church street was peeled off and thrown into the parking areas below. The tornado continued ESE crossing Center Dr, Estroff Dr, Aimwell Rd, and through the Cambridge Ct region where EF1 damage to trees and homes was observed all along that route. The tornado continued eastward crossing the Vidalia airport property. It should be noted that the last observation from the Vidalia airport occurred 10 min prior to the tornado crossing through. The tornado continued eastward toward the Lyons community and across the Lyons Elementary, Middle and High school complexes. Minor, EF0 damage was observed in and around the schools mostly to trees, fences, and to doors on some storage buildings. The tornado continued east crossing Hwy 1 downing a few pecan trees and numerous limbs before dissipating as it approached hwy 280 southeast of Lyons. Additional straight line wind damage was observed south of the path including in the community of Santa Claus. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0.....65 to 85 mph EF1.....86 to 110 mph EF2.....111 to 135 mph EF3.....136 to 165 mph EF4.....166 to 200 mph EF5.....>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$