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Clarkston, GA Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes

 
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The chance of earthquake damage in Clarkston is about the same as Georgia average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Clarkston is higher than Georgia average and is much higher than the national average.

Topics:Earthquake IndexVolcano IndexTornado IndexOther Weather Extremes EventsVolcanos NearbyHistorical Earthquake EventsHistorical Tornado Events

Earthquake Index, #389

Clarkston, GA
0.04
Georgia
0.08
U.S.
1.81

The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.

Volcano Index, #1

Clarkston, GA
0.0000
Georgia
0.0000
U.S.
0.0023

The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.

Tornado Index, #73

Clarkston, GA
234.09
Georgia
179.92
U.S.
136.45

The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.

Other Weather Extremes Events

A total of 5,519 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Clarkston, GA were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:

TypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCount
Avalanche:0Blizzard:0Cold:12Dense Fog:2Drought:22
Dust Storm:0Flood:230Hail:2,005Heat:9Heavy Snow:23
High Surf:0Hurricane:4Ice Storm:10Landslide:0Strong Wind:24
Thunderstorm Winds:2,398Tropical Storm:14Wildfire:2Winter Storm:11Winter Weather:25
Other:728 

Volcanos Nearby

No volcano is found in or near Clarkston, GA.

Historical Earthquake Events

No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Clarkston, GA.

No historical earthquake events found in or near Clarkston, GA.

Historical Tornado Events

A total of 96 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Clarkston, GA.

Distance (miles)DateMagnitudeStart Lat/LogEnd Lat/LogLengthWidthFatalitiesInjuriesProperty DamageCrop DamageAffected County
9.22008-03-14233°46'N / 84°25'W33°44'N / 84°21'W5.00 Miles200 Yards13025.0M0KFulton
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A ground and aerial survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in cooperation with the Atlanta Police Department, confirmed that an EF2 tornado tracked through the heart of the city of Atlanta causing millions of dollars of damage to buildings, including several high rise business and/or hotel buildings, within the downtown Atlanta area. The tornado also resulted in one death and 30 non-life threatening injuries. The death occurred on Decatur Street across from the Martin Luther King MARTA station. The tornado first touched down near the intersection of Simpson and Burbank Streets in the Vine City neighborhood just west of downtown Atlanta. The tornado then tracked near due east over the center of the Georgia World Congress Center, about 100 yards north of the Georgia Dome, which was concurrently hosting an SEC basketball conference, across the CNN Omni Hotel Complex and the Phillips Arena, where an NBA basketball game was underway, across the Equitable Bank tower, across the Interstate 75/85 Downtown Connector at the Edgewood Exit, and then into the Cotton Mill Lofts across the Oakland Cemetery located near the Fulton/DeKalb county line. The tornado then weakened, but continued into extreme western DeKalb county before finally lifting for good. The tornado had a total path length of six miles, five of which fell within Fulton county, and a maximum path width of 200 yards. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 130 mph, which is a high end EF2. The tornado had a path width of 100 yards as it moved across the Georgia World Congress Center and CNN Omni Hotel complex and was ranked an EF1 at that point. At least 50 homes were damaged by the tornado, as were several multi-story towers and commercial buildings near and east of Centennial Olympic Park. Windows were blown out of several of these high rise tower buildings at multiple heights. Damage in residential and industrial areas ranged from roofing materials blown from homes and businesses to trees falling on structures and vehicles. The Cotton Mill Lofts experienced some of the most significant damage with the roof blown off and exterior walls on the top or fourth floors blown inward. Two sections of the fourth flour collapsed all the way into the basement of the building, trapping several people. Most of the injuries observed were associated with this damage. Damaged buildings and structures in the downtown Atlanta area included two Hermes 65-foot tall light towers at Centennial Olympic Park, the CNN Center/Omni Hotel, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Equitable Bank Building, Georgia-Pacific Building, Georgia World Congress Center, Grady Hospital, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Martin Luther King Center, Oakland Cemetery, SunTrust Building, Tabernacle, Ted's Montana Grill, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, and Walton Building Barbershop. In addition to the damage reports, a wind gust of 83 mph was measured at Atlanta Fire Station No. 13 at 447 Flat Shoals Road Southeast in Atlanta, and a wind gust of 65 mph was measured at Atlanta Fire Station No. 4 at 309 Edgewood Drive in Atlanta. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A series of vigorous upper-level disturbances were racing through a fast zonal flow across the southern states. A supercell thunderstorm developed across north central Alabama and tracked southeast into northwest Georgia and eventually across downtown Atlanta, spawning an EF2 tornado that tracked right through the heart of downtown Atlanta. This was the first recorded incident of a tornado touchdown in downtown Atlanta. The tornado wreaked havoc on the downtown streets as it tracked from the Vine City neighborhood on the west, across the I-75/85 corridor, through the Cotton Mill Lofts, and into extreme western DeKalb county before weakening. One death was reported and dozens were injured as they were trapped in downtown buildings amidst debris. Damage was in the millions.
9.51972-01-10333°41'N / 84°21'W33°42'N / 84°18'W3.30 Miles200 Yards00250K0De Kalb
10.21998-04-08233°57'N / 84°20'W33°57'N / 84°16'W4.00 Miles800 Yards1025.0M0De Kalb
 Brief Description: The damage path began just northeast of Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody and extended well into Gwinnett county. There was significant widespread damage to trees and homes. One person was killed when a tree fell on his home. DeKalb College's north campus was closed after several buildings sustained major damage. M72PH
10.71978-05-08233°39'N / 84°19'W33°41'N / 84°18'W2.70 Miles33 Yards002.5M0De Kalb
11.11975-03-24333°46'N / 84°32'W33°54'N / 84°20'W14.80 Miles500 Yards3152250.0M0Fulton
12.11972-01-10333°40'N / 84°24'W33°41'N / 84°21'W3.00 Miles200 Yards19250K0Fulton
13.21973-03-31233°32'N / 84°20'W33°45'N / 83°56'W27.40 Miles500 Yards00250.0M0Clayton
13.41954-12-05233°42'N / 84°26'W0.50 Mile50 Yards14025K0Fulton
13.61998-04-08233°56'N / 84°14'W34°01'N / 83°59'W15.00 Miles800 Yards01050.0M0Gwinnett
 Brief Description: Significant widespread damage continued into Gwinnett county in a path from Norcross through Duluth and Suwanee to north of Lawrenceville. Large trees were knocked down or snapped. Many of them fell on homes and apartments causing damage. Roofs were torn off of houses. At least 5000 homes were affected. Ten people at an apartment complex were treated for minor injuries.
13.81978-05-08233°37'N / 84°23'W33°39'N / 84°19'W4.50 Miles200 Yards002.5M0Clayton
14.02008-05-11233°37'N / 84°16'W33°36'N / 84°13'W3.00 Miles100 Yards007.5M0KClayton
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF2 tornado with maximum winds of 130 mph touched down in far northeast Clayton county, approximately four miles northeast of Morrow, and tracked on the ground for nearly 19 miles from northeast Clayton into northern Henry, southern Rockdale, and into western Newton county before finally lifting. Within Clayton county the tornado path was about 2.75 miles long with a maximum path width of 100 yards. Shortly after touchdown, the tornado caused extensive and significant damage within a 2.5 square mile area of the Ellenwood community. There were 185 private dwellings damaged, 53 of which were destroyed or left uninhabitable. At least 500 residents were displaced from their homes. Numerous trees and power lines were also down in the area. By far, the worst damage caused by this tornado occurred within Clayton county as the tornado weakened as it tracked further east into Henry, Rockdale, and Newton county. Despite the extensive damage, no injuries were reported. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A stationary front was draped across north Georgia early on May 10th with an active northwest flow aloft. Meanwhile...a vigorous short wave aloft was approaching the area from the southern plains. The stationary front provided the focus for two rounds of showers and thunderstorms, one early in the morning on the 10th and another in the afternoon. The activity tracked east-southeast with the upper flow aloft, mainly across north Georgia during the early morning and across central Georgia during the afternoon. An isolated strong supercell also tracked across the southern part of central Georgia during the evening. After a lull of convective activity for about four hours, intense multicell thunderstorms tracked into the area from Alabama after midnight and before dawn on the 11th. As these thunderstorms tracked across west central and central Georgia, 15 tornadoes were identified by subsequent surveys making this the most significant tornado outbreak to affect the area since the Katrina-associated tornadoes on August 29, 2005. Millions of dollars of property damage were reported as many homes were destroyed from these tornadoes from the western and southern suburbs of Atlanta southeastward across Macon, Dublin, and other counties in east central and southeast Georgia. Many of these counties were eligible for disaster assistance from the federal government. In addition to the tornadoes and thunderstorm winds that caused extensive damage in dozens of counties across north and central Georgia during the early morning hours of May 11th, strong gradient winds developed on the back side of the strong cold front that moved through the area as low pressure intensified across the mid-Atlantic region. The strong winds combined with wet ground resulted in dozens of trees being blown down in some north Georgia counties. There were also two deaths as a result of downed trees in Barrow and Gwinnett county, all non-thunderstorm-related winds.
14.71953-12-04233°58'N / 84°25'W1.00 Mile100 Yards0025K0Cobb
15.11984-11-10234°01'N / 84°09'W1.50 Miles127 Yards082.5M0Gwinnett
15.21998-04-08233°53'N / 84°31'W33°53'N / 84°28'W3.00 Miles200 Yards0015.0M0Cobb
 Brief Description: The same supercell that had tracked from Alabama across Haralson and Paulding counties spawned another tornado in Smyrna. The touchdown was along Windy Hill Road just west of Cobb Parkway where a commercial building sustained heavy damage. A filling station and car dealership less than a block east also sustained heavy damage. There was $500,000 to $750,000 in damage to new cars. Trees over a foot in diameter were snapped or uprooted. In total, 59 buildings were damaged, but no injuries were reported. Aerial and ground surveys by NWS employees showed the path varied from 100 to 200 yards wide with a length of about 3 miles. The tornado crossed just into Fulton county near I-285 and the Chattahoochee River. Dime to quarter size hail and other wind damage were also reported in north and central Cobb county.
15.81989-10-01233°36'N / 84°11'W33°36'N / 84°05'W3.00 Miles300 Yards00250K0Henry
15.91983-12-03233°47'N / 84°31'W0.50 Mile80 Yards002.5M0Fulton
16.21973-05-27333°43'N / 84°30'W0.50 Mile100 Yards00250K0Fulton
16.91989-10-01233°36'N / 84°05'W33°37'N / 84°04'W1.00 Mile300 Yards000K0Rockdale
17.41976-05-28233°53'N / 83°57'W1.00 Mile50 Yards0025K0Gwinnett
18.41989-10-01233°42'N / 83°57'W2.00 Miles300 Yards00250K0Rockdale
19.81986-03-19233°58'N / 84°32'W34°01'N / 84°29'W5.70 Miles300 Yards01525.0M0Cobb
21.01990-02-10233°52'N / 84°36'W1.30 Miles200 Yards022.5M0Cobb
21.81993-02-21333°56'N / 84°42'W33°54'N / 84°30'W8.00 Miles880 Yards0350.0M0Cobb
 Brief Description: The tornado touched down near Lost Mountain in Western Cobb County and proceded on an east southeat path across rural portions of the county, initially uprooting mainly trees and downing power lines. As the tornado moved over Marietta it touched down and caused severe damage to two condominium complexes, a large strip shopping center, and several apartment complexes. Over 400 condominiums, apartments, businesses, and mobile homes sustained damage from the tornado. Of the 400 structures damaged, 113 were mobile homes. In Marietta, several mobile home parks were severely damaged near Dobbins Air Force Base. Several businesses and industrial parks in Marietta sustained major damage. Box cars were pushed off railroad tracks. Numerous trees, poles, and power lines were downed which caused extensive power outages. Many of the trees were twisted or snapped in half. Over 9,100 Marietta Georgia Power customers lost their power as a result of the tornado.
21.91991-03-29333°50'N / 84°39'W33°54'N / 84°35'W5.00 Miles1320 Yards02525.0M0Cobb
22.21956-04-15233°54'N / 84°52'W34°12'N / 84°08'W46.80 Miles67 Yards00250K0Paulding
22.81964-12-24333°30'N / 84°07'W33°31'N / 84°03'W4.10 Miles400 Yards00250K0Henry
23.51970-01-29234°00'N / 83°54'W0.50 Mile33 Yards0025K0Gwinnett
23.91989-04-04234°04'N / 84°34'W34°02'N / 84°31'W3.00 Miles150 Yards002.5M0Cobb
24.01992-11-22433°55'N / 84°40'W34°05'N / 84°31'W13.00 Miles867 Yards03425.0M0Cobb
24.12010-11-30234°02'N / 83°57'W34°04'N / 83°55'W2.00 Miles100 Yards005.0M0KGwinnett
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF2 tornado touched down near Holland Park Drive in east central Gwinnett county, or about five miles northwest of Dacula. The tornado then tracked slightly over two miles to the north-northeast between Mountain View High School and Twin Rivers Middle School before lifting just east of the intersection of Gravel Springs Road and Interstate-85. The tornado was determined to have a path width of 300 yards with maximum wind gusts of 130 mph. Extensive damage was observed to homes mainly in the Kirkstone Subdivision of Buford. A total of 56 homes and one business along the path of the tornado sustained at least minor damage. Of these, 15 to 20 homes sustained major damage or were destroyed and thus were declared uninhabitable. One of these homes collapsed on itself. Damage to homes and property was estimated by the state insurance commissioner to exceed $5 million. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A deep full-latitude upper trough was sweeping from the central into the eastern U.S. The trough brought a quick transition to the eastern U.S. from mild fall temperatures to an extended period of well below normal temperatures. As the trough swept through the southeastern U.S. on November 30th, it took on a significant negative tilt. Although only marginal instability was noted because of extensive pre-frontal cloud cover and light to moderate rain showers, a strong 50-60kt low-level jet accompanied the trough as it rotated through Georgia during the afternoon of November 30th. This was sufficient combined with minimal instability (CAPE) in place at the time to support the development of a fairly well marked, yet very narrow, quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) which spawned two tornadoes, one an EF2 causing extensive damage to homes in Gwinnett county, and another weaker tornado in Henry county. In addition, the squall line or QLCS also produced numerous damaging wind events across north and central Georgia.
24.51964-12-24333°25'N / 84°16'W33°30'N / 84°07'W10.40 Miles400 Yards01250K0Henry
24.71971-04-28233°52'N / 84°40'W0.30 Mile77 Yards00250K0Cobb
25.11967-08-19233°27'N / 84°18'W0.50 Mile33 Yards0025K0Clayton
25.51992-11-22434°05'N / 84°31'W34°10'N / 84°26'W7.00 Miles867 Yards0122.5M0Cherokee
26.61962-03-21334°10'N / 84°25'W10.00 Miles33 Yards00250K0Cherokee
27.51964-12-24333°31'N / 84°03'W33°29'N / 83°50'W12.70 Miles400 Yards00250K0Newton
27.51989-04-04234°06'N / 84°37'W34°04'N / 84°34'W3.00 Miles150 Yards002.5M0Cherokee
27.71973-03-31233°45'N / 83°56'W33°53'N / 83°35'W22.10 Miles500 Yards150250.0M0Walton
27.81989-11-15233°31'N / 84°36'W33°33'N / 84°35'W4.00 Miles300 Yards072.5M0Fulton
28.42006-01-02233°31'N / 84°36'W33°30'N / 84°33'W3.00 Miles440 Yards002.0M0Fayette
 Brief Description: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City Georgia and the Fayette County Emergency Management Director concluded that the F2 tornado, which originally developed in far south Fulton county just east of Palmetto continued into extreme northwest Fayette county. The overall tornado path length was seven miles, of which approximately three miles occurred within Fayette county. The maximum path width was 1/4 mile. The most significant damage associated with the tornado occurred in Fayette county. The tornado entered the county just south of Fairburn and just west of Georgia Highway 74 (Senoia Road) near Milam Road. In this area the tornado destroyed a small apartment home and rolled a hay baler approximately 15 yards from its origin. A number of trees were uprooted or snapped off in this area as well. The storm then skipped across Georgia Highway 74 just south of the Wendell Coffee Golf Center into the River Oaks Subdivision. A home on Westbourne Drive next to the Golf Center was damaged with trees down on the structure. A metal awning was also torn off the home. Further down the street, also in the River Oaks Subdivision, a large home was damaged beyond repair and about six others sustained minor to moderate damage, mainly to the roofs of the structures. While one family was trapped in their home during the event, they were rescued without injury. The tornado ended in the 600 block of Westbourne Drive in the River Oaks Subdivision.
28.41989-04-04234°10'N / 84°00'W34°09'N / 83°57'W3.30 Miles50 Yards00250K0Hall
28.51969-07-19233°24'N / 84°12'W1.00 Mile37 Yards0025K0Henry
28.62005-07-06233°23'N / 84°19'W33°25'N / 84°18'W9.00 Miles880 Yards0070.0M0Henry
 Brief Description: A National Weather Service damage survey confirmed an F2 tornado, the strongest tornado of the evening associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy, touched down just a few hundred yards south of McDonough Street at the Atlanta Motor Speedway then traveled north-northwest passing just east of Lovejoy in Clayton county, then across the Edgar Blalock Raw Water Reservation, at which point it turned northwest and finally passed into Clayton county before lifting near Jodeco Road. The tornado center line crossed the western bank of the race track then across Tara Field just west of the race track. Damages to the Atlanta Motor Speedway, including several condominiums at the facility, and the Tara Field Airport just west of the Atlanta Motor Speedway were estimated at $40,000,000. Eleven planes and five vintage helicopters were heavily damaged at Tara Field. Nearby a Chevron auto service station was destroyed. Damage between these facilities and the Clayton county line was confined mainly to trees and power lines. The tornado had a path length of nine miles tracking across western Henry and a small portion of eastern Clayton county. The tornado initially had a path width of 1/2 mile, then narrowed as it moved north-northwest. It was determined that the tornado had winds of 120 mph. Electrical power was out in much of the county throughout the night as a result of the damage in the area. All together during the evening, 229 homes in the county had minor damage from thunderstorm winds and/or tornadoes, with 61 homes suffering major damage. In addition, the steeple at Kelly Chapel fell to the ground.
28.91989-11-15233°31'N / 84°36'W33°32'N / 84°37'W1.00 Mile300 Yards002.5M0Fulton
29.01991-03-29233°45'N / 84°46'W33°46'N / 84°43'W3.00 Miles200 Yards0225.0M0Douglas
29.51985-04-05234°14'N / 84°21'W34°14'N / 84°17'W3.00 Miles100 Yards002.5M0Cherokee
29.71964-12-24333°21'N / 84°20'W33°25'N / 84°16'W6.20 Miles400 Yards00250K0Henry
30.02006-01-02233°31'N / 84°40'W33°31'N / 84°35'W4.00 Miles440 Yards00250K0Fulton
 Brief Description: A damage survey team from the National Weather Service in Peachtree City concluded that an F2 tornado had touched down just east of Palmetto in the far southern portion of Fulton county near the Coweta and Fayette county borders. The tornado touched down near Interstate-85 and U.S. Highway 29 east of Palmetto and then traveled east into extreme northwest Fayette county. The tornado was rated an F2 and traveled a path of seven miles, of which approximately four miles occurred within Fulton county. The maximum path width was 1/4 mile wide. Roof damage was observed to a number of homes along the path of the tornado. At least six homes east of Palmetto had sustained major damage with large trees down on the structures. Additionally, a number of trees were down along the path along with several power lines. Specifically, the tornado began around 8225 Tatum Road. Numerous trees were down in this area and several homes had sustained roof damage. The chimney was destroyed on one home. The tornado then continued across the intersection of Johnson and Tatum Road to Gullatt Road. Several homes in this area had sustained roof damage and in fact, one home had completely lost its roof. Numerous trees were either uprooted or snapped off along the path and several power lines were down as well. From this point, the tornado traveled toward the intersection of Bohannon and Kirkley Roads. Damage in this section was less extensive with just minor roof damage and only a few trees uprooted or down in the area. The tornado then crossed into Fayette county.
30.81965-04-26234°15'N / 84°20'W0.50 Mile33 Yards0025K0Cherokee
30.81989-11-15233°29'N / 84°39'W33°31'N / 84°36'W3.00 Miles300 Yards072.5M0Coweta
30.81989-04-04234°05'N / 84°40'W34°05'N / 84°40'W1.00 Mile150 Yards00250K0Cobb
30.91992-11-22233°21'N / 84°19'W33°23'N / 84°17'W3.00 Miles100 Yards00250K0Henry
31.91989-04-04234°06'N / 84°42'W34°05'N / 84°40'W2.00 Miles150 Yards00250K0Bartow
31.91989-11-15233°27'N / 84°40'W33°31'N / 84°36'W3.00 Miles300 Yards002.5M0Coweta
32.41970-04-02334°14'N / 84°11'W34°19'N / 84°08'W6.50 Miles50 Yards0025K0Forsyth
32.71962-04-11234°14'N / 84°30'W1.00 Mile100 Yards0025K0Cherokee
33.11974-04-03234°08'N / 84°40'W34°10'N / 84°38'W3.30 Miles150 Yards000K0Cherokee
33.41974-04-03234°06'N / 84°43'W34°08'N / 84°40'W3.80 Miles150 Yards000K0Bartow
33.81974-04-03234°05'N / 84°44'W34°06'N / 84°43'W2.30 Miles150 Yards070K0Cobb
34.41969-05-18233°20'N / 83°55'W33°32'N / 83°47'W15.90 Miles50 Yards003K0Butts
34.91992-11-22233°17'N / 84°25'W33°21'N / 84°19'W7.00 Miles100 Yards032.5M0Spalding
35.71974-04-03233°54'N / 84°55'W34°05'N / 84°44'W16.50 Miles150 Yards080K0Paulding
36.11964-12-24333°15'N / 84°25'W33°21'N / 84°20'W8.40 Miles400 Yards00250K0Troup
38.81964-12-24333°30'N / 84°55'W33°15'N / 84°25'W33.60 Miles400 Yards00250K0Troup
39.11952-02-29234°07'N / 83°40'W0.20 Mile17 Yards0525K0Jackson
39.11973-05-28333°52'N / 83°38'W33°56'N / 83°30'W8.90 Miles200 Yards0025.0M0Walton
39.71965-07-11233°30'N / 83°35'W33°33'N / 83°42'W7.40 Miles33 Yards0025K0Newton
40.51982-04-26234°08'N / 84°51'W34°09'N / 84°48'W5.00 Miles300 Yards05250K0Bartow
40.72002-11-11234°21'N / 84°27'W34°26'N / 84°16'W14.00 Miles100 Yards0105.6M0Pickens
 Brief Description: The tornado that originated in Cherokee county near Beasley Gap, continued into and across Pickens county. Once again, the National Weather Service disaster survey team determined that this was a multi-segmented tornado, with much of the damage along the path caused by straight line winds of at least 70 mph. The tornado entered the county southwest of Cagle, then continued on to just north of Tate roughly paralleling Georgia Highway 108, then turned more eastward along Georgia Highway 53 to near Marblehill, through the Big Canoe golf course and recreation area, then east of Big Canoe into extreme western Dawson county. There was definite evidence of F2 tornadic damage just north of Tate where winds were estimated in the 113 to 157 mph range. Some of the hardest hit areas included homes on Pleasant Union Road near the Cherokee county border; the Mountain Lakes Estates area, where several homes suffered extensive damage; the Bethany-Salem district where at least 56 structures were damaged or destroyed; Refuge Road near Tate, the town suffering some of the greatest damage where several homes and business were destroyed; the Big Canoe area near the Dawson county border, where several homes were damaged and the tennis center suffered extensive damage. All together, a total of 26 structures, mostly residential homes were destroyed, 142 structures were partially damaged, 2 businesses were destroyed, and 14 vehicles were totally destroyed. In addition, ten people were injured, primarily in damaged homes or trapped in vehicles on which trees fell. One of the businesses destroyed was the popular Davis's Barbeque on Georgia Highway 108. The restaurant was completely blown away, including the 20-foot white columns that stood in front of the restaurant. Three of the injuries in the county occurred in new mobile homes behind the Barbeque restaurant when their homes were flattened by the winds and other debris from the restaurant. One of the children injured, a 4-year old girl, was found by a nearby pond. The Refuge Baptist Church suffered extensive damage and was left in shambles. The historic Big Canoe chapel was also among the structures suffering damage. The steeple and all of the windows were lost from the church along with other structural damage to both the exterior and interior walls. Numerous trees were uprooted and many power lines were damaged along the path. Thirty people had to be put up in shelters and at least 6000 people were left without power for an extended period. Pickens county was the hardest hit of five counties declared in a state of emergency by the governor.
41.01965-04-15234°23'N / 84°07'W34°22'N / 83°55'W11.50 Miles33 Yards00250K0Pickens
41.41974-04-03434°22'N / 84°20'W34°27'N / 84°15'W7.60 Miles200 Yards1172.5M0Pickens
41.51973-03-31233°53'N / 83°35'W33°55'N / 83°28'W7.20 Miles500 Yards00250.0M0Oconee
41.72002-11-11234°21'N / 84°35'W34°23'N / 84°28'W6.00 Miles100 Yards001.8M0Cherokee
 Brief Description: A National Weather Service disaster survey team and the Cherokee county Emergency Manager Director observed a 6-mile long path of damage, beginning near Beasley Gap in northwest Cherokee county, then continuing east-northeast toward the town of Worley Crossroads on the Pickens county border. While much of the damage along the path was determined as straight line wind damage with speeds of at least 70 mph, there was definite indication of a multi-segmented tornado. The most significant tornado damage occurred on Salacoa Road near Beasley Gap, where the tornado damage was classified as F2. The damage path was approximately 627 yards wide at its widest point, but the tornadic portion of this damage was limited to around 100 yards wide. Two homes were completely destroyed, three were severely damaged, and six were moderately damaged. Numerous trees and power lines were down along and near the damage path as well. Some livestock was also killed during the event. Cherokee county was one of five counties declared in a state of emergency by the governor.
42.32009-02-18233°15'N / 84°30'W33°12'N / 84°25'W5.00 Miles1760 Yards00825K0KSpalding
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the tornado that initially touched down in Meriwether county, then tracked across southern Coweta county, crossed into Spalding county approximately four miles east-northeast of Haralson or 7 miles west of Zetella. The tornado remain an EF2 as it tracked across southwest and into south central Spalding county, lifting just shy of the Pike county line about five miles west of Rover. Extensive damage was observed along the track of the tornado Four homes were completely destroyed and 40 others sustained minor to moderate damage. Dozens of trees were also down along the path of the tornado. The tornado tracked roughly five miles with southern Spalding county with a maximum path width of one mile and maximum winds of 120 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A strong cold front accompanied and deep negatively tilted upper trough through the eastern U.S. from the 18th into the 19th. An unseasonably warm and unstable air mass developed in advance of the cold front during the late afternoon and early evening across north and central Georgia as warm, moist air rode northward into Georgia on a strong low-level jet. Afternoon temperatures in the 70s and dewpoints in the 60s, combined with strong shear and moderate instability, resulted in the development of numerous supercell thunderstorms from mid-afternoon until a few hours after midnight on the 19th. Ten tornadoes, ranging in scale from EF0 to EF3 tracked across several north and central Georgia counties. The worst tornadoes affected the east central Georgia counties of Jasper, Putnam, Hancock, and Jasper. A death was observed in Hancock county with an EF3 tornado and several injuries were reported from Putnam and Hancock counties. In addition to the tornadoes, very large hail occurred with several of the thunderstorms, including four-inch diameter hail in Coweta and Fayette counties just south of Atlanta. Numerous reports of golf ball and larger-sized hail were received. The event resulted in millions of dollars of damage and the destruction of several homes in north and central Georgia counties.
42.71973-12-13334°18'N / 83°52'W34°18'N / 83°42'W9.50 Miles200 Yards0212.5M0Hall
42.91967-11-22233°44'N / 85°03'W33°44'N / 84°55'W7.80 Miles33 Yards0225K0Carroll
43.02002-11-11234°25'N / 84°16'W34°27'N / 84°14'W3.00 Miles100 Yards03200K0Dawson
 Brief Description: The Dawson county Emergency Management Director reported that the tornado that originated in Cherokee county and traveled across Pickens county, entered Dawson county in the Big Canoe area and continued to just east-northeast of the Big Canoe area before dissipating. Two double-wide mobile homes were completely destroyed just east of the Big Canoe area as large trees fell on the structures. While the contents of one were salvagable, those of the other were destroyed. Three injuries occurred at one of these mobile homes as the residents were trapped by the downed trees on the structure. In addition, there were four other homes that received minor damage in the Big Canoe area. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in the area of the tornado and some roads were temporarily blocked as a result. Dawson county was one of five counties declared in a state of emergency by the governor.
43.61989-03-05333°17'N / 84°50'W33°25'N / 84°41'W14.00 Miles120 Yards02325.0M0Coweta
44.12008-05-11233°34'N / 84°57'W33°34'N / 84°57'W007.0M0KCarroll
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet a second brief spinup tornado, spawned by the same parent thunderstorm, touched down in Carroll county. This tornado affected eastern Carroll county, touching down near the Diamond Court Subdivision off Cross Plains-Hulett Road, about three miles south of Hulett. Again, this tornado was embedded within a much larger and extensive area of straight-line wind damage that tracked across much of central Carroll county from near Bowden to the Douglas county line, southeast of Hulett. One home was completely destroyed by this second tornado and another received significant damage. A number of other homes sustained minor to moderate roof damage. Again, the path length and path width of this tornado were also only 100 yards. The combined damage from the two tornadoes and straight-line wind damage within Carroll county caused damages in excess of $10 million. Damages consisted of the destruction of three mobile homes, 18 mobile homes with major damage, and 16 mobile homes with minor damage. Thirty-five single family dwellings were destroyed, 211 single-family dwellings sustained major damage, and another 346 suffered minor damage. In addition, a total of four businesses were destroyed, 133 more which had major damage, and 31 suffering minor damage. A public works building was also destoyed. Finally, at least $800,000 in damages was reported to electric utility poles in Carroll county. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A stationary front was draped across north Georgia early on May 10th with an active northwest flow aloft. Meanwhile...a vigorous short wave aloft was approaching the area from the southern plains. The stationary front provided the focus for two rounds of showers and thunderstorms, one early in the morning on the 10th and another in the afternoon. The activity tracked east-southeast with the upper flow aloft, mainly across north Georgia during the early morning and across central Georgia during the afternoon. An isolated strong supercell also tracked across the southern part of central Georgia during the evening. After a lull of convective activity for about four hours, intense multicell thunderstorms tracked into the area from Alabama after midnight and before dawn on the 11th. As these thunderstorms tracked across west central and central Georgia, 15 tornadoes were identified by subsequent surveys making this the most significant tornado outbreak to affect the area since the Katrina-associated tornadoes on August 29, 2005. Millions of dollars of property damage were reported as many homes were destroyed from these tornadoes from the western and southern suburbs of Atlanta southeastward across Macon, Dublin, and other counties in east central and southeast Georgia. Many of these counties were eligible for disaster assistance from the federal government. In addition to the tornadoes and thunderstorm winds that caused extensive damage in dozens of counties across north and central Georgia during the early morning hours of May 11th, strong gradient winds developed on the back side of the strong cold front that moved through the area as low pressure intensified across the mid-Atlantic region. The strong winds combined with wet ground resulted in dozens of trees being blown down in some north Georgia counties. There were also two deaths as a result of downed trees in Barrow and Gwinnett county, all non-thunderstorm-related winds.
44.51967-03-06233°27'N / 83°36'W0.80 Mile150 Yards0025K0Jasper
44.81954-12-05234°05'N / 85°00'W34°07'N / 84°53'W7.10 Miles500 Yards0025K0Bartow
45.12008-03-15334°06'N / 85°02'W34°07'N / 84°51'W11.00 Miles880 Yards003.0M0KBartow
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in cooperation with the Georgia State Patrol confirmed that the EF3 tornado, that originated in Polk county just east of Seney, and continued across extreme southeast Floyd county, continued into southern Bartow county. The tornado entered the county about 3 1/4 miles west-northwest of Taylorsville and finally lifted about four miles southwest of Cartersville. The tornado tracked approximately 11 miles across southern Bartow county. While no deaths or injuries were reported from the tornado in Bartow county, several mobile homes were heavily damaged and hundreds of trees and several high voltage power transmission lines were knocked down and there was damage to the Georgia Power Plant on Georgia Highway 113. In addition, the Taylorsville Elementary School sustained significant damage. Several homes sustained roof damage along Popum Road just north of Taylorsville, a number of trees were down along Euharlee Road, and several bulidings, a number of trees, and several street signs were down in the area of Woodland High School about three miles southwest of Cartersville. All together, there were approximately 55 homes damaged, six of which were destroyed, and 30 homes with minor damage. Two schools, as noted above Taylorsville Elementary and Woodland High School suffered heavy damage. Some Georgia Power high transmission towers were also down. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The pattern that began to evolve on March 14th continued and intensified on March 15th. A stationary front remained draped across north Georgia from near Atlanta to Athens. South of this front, the air mass was becoming increasingly warm, moist and unstable. Meanwhile, aloft, a low amplitude, yet vigorous short wave embedded within a fast zonal flow, was tracking rapidly eastward from the mid south into the southeast. Strong shear and high helicity combined with the unstable air mass and the frontal boundary to allow repeated severe thunderstorms to develop and track eastward along the boundary across north Georgia. The activity began early in the day as a complex of thunderstorms moved into the area from Alabama and continued until nearly midnight. As the day progressed, especially during the afternoon, the development of the activity gradually progressed further south and by midnight had reached the south and southeast parts of the state. Numerous severe thunderstorms and tornadic supercells were observed throughout the day. Historical records indicate that this was one of the most significant severe weather days for the Peachtree City Weather Forecast Office with more events and warnings than had been observed since May 2003.
45.31990-02-16233°35'N / 85°03'W33°41'N / 84°57'W7.00 Miles100 Yards011250K0Carroll
45.91974-04-03434°27'N / 84°15'W34°30'N / 84°09'W6.80 Miles200 Yards5132.5M0Dawson
46.11970-04-02333°20'N / 84°48'W0.30 Mile100 Yards0025K0Coweta
46.31970-07-19234°12'N / 84°54'W0.50 Mile20 Yards0225K0Bartow
46.32009-02-18233°13'N / 84°46'W33°14'N / 84°30'W16.00 Miles1760 Yards00500K0KCoweta
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the EF2 tornado that touched down at 923 Bradberry Road, just inside the Meriwether county line, quickly crossed into Coweta county and continued on an east-northeastward track across far southern Coweta county, crossing into Spalding county approximately four miles east-northeast of Haralson. Within Coweta county the tornado caused minor to moderate damage to several homes. One home completely lost its roof. A horse was killed from flying debris near U.S. Highway 27A. Hundreds of trees were also blown down along the path of the tornado. The tornado tracked almost 16 miles within Coweta county. The maximum path width was estimated to be one mile with maximum winds of 120 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A strong cold front accompanied and deep negatively tilted upper trough through the eastern U.S. from the 18th into the 19th. An unseasonably warm and unstable air mass developed in advance of the cold front during the late afternoon and early evening across north and central Georgia as warm, moist air rode northward into Georgia on a strong low-level jet. Afternoon temperatures in the 70s and dewpoints in the 60s, combined with strong shear and moderate instability, resulted in the development of numerous supercell thunderstorms from mid-afternoon until a few hours after midnight on the 19th. Ten tornadoes, ranging in scale from EF0 to EF3 tracked across several north and central Georgia counties. The worst tornadoes affected the east central Georgia counties of Jasper, Putnam, Hancock, and Jasper. A death was observed in Hancock county with an EF3 tornado and several injuries were reported from Putnam and Hancock counties. In addition to the tornadoes, very large hail occurred with several of the thunderstorms, including four-inch diameter hail in Coweta and Fayette counties just south of Atlanta. Numerous reports of golf ball and larger-sized hail were received. The event resulted in millions of dollars of damage and the destruction of several homes in north and central Georgia counties.
46.71989-03-05233°22'N / 84°58'W33°28'N / 84°50'W10.00 Miles167 Yards062.5M0Coweta
46.82006-01-02333°09'N / 84°27'W33°09'N / 84°24'W3.00 Miles440 Yards03750K0Pike
 Brief Description: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service and confirmed by Emergency Managers from both Pike and Meriwether counties concluded that an F3 tornado touched down one mile southeast of Hollonville in northwest Pike county and traveled east for approximately 3 miles, terminating at a point about 4 miles east-southeast of Hollonville in north central Pike county. Five homes along the path were extensively damaged or destroyed. One home was moved 60 feet from its foundation. Two vehicles were thrown 250 yards. Several farm structures were also damaged in the area. A number of trees and power lines were also down in the area. Three injuries were reported during the event. Two men that were working in a barn were injured when the tornado blew the barn away. A third man was injured while clinging to a fence post that the tornado ripped from the ground. The tornado had an overall path length of 3 miles with a path width of 1/4 mile. One interesting note is that family photographs from one of the homes destroyed near Hollonville were found as far away as Williamson, near the Spalding county line.
47.01966-05-01234°12'N / 83°34'W1.00 Mile50 Yards0025K0Jackson
48.02006-04-08234°01'N / 85°04'W34°01'N / 85°01'W3.00 Miles100 Yards01450K0Polk
 Brief Description: A survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA concluded that a second tornado, this one an F2, touched down one mile northwest of Rockmart and traveled to the east approximately three miles, terminating at a point around two miles east-northeast of Rockmart. Over two dozen homes along the path of the tornado were destroyed. A young child was injured at one of the damaged homes when sheet rock and rafters fell on the couch where he was sleeping. Over three dozen outbuildings were also heavily damaged or destroyed. A carport was blown off one home northwest of Rockmart and five coal cars were completely blown off a railroad track in the Rockmart area and left lying on their side, while an 18-wheel truck trailer was also blown over in the same general area. Finally, minor damage was reported to the roof of the Rockmart Highschool and especially to the athletic fields. Hundreds of trees and dozens of power lines were blown down along the path of the tornado. A total of 700 residents were left without power for many hours following the storm. The tornado was determined to have a path length of approximately 3.0 miles with a path width of 50 to 100 yards. Overall tornado damage from the two tornadoes in Polk county netted: 30 homes with minor damage. 2 homes destroyed. 60 outbuildings heavily damaged or destroyed. Minor damage to the Rockmart Highschool and athletic facility. 700 customers without power. Extensive loss to timber in the area
48.21973-05-28333°56'N / 83°30'W33°58'N / 83°20'W9.80 Miles100 Yards16525.0M0Clarke
48.21989-04-04234°25'N / 83°59'W34°30'N / 83°52'W9.00 Miles100 Yards0025K0Hall
49.11974-04-03434°30'N / 84°09'W34°32'N / 84°07'W3.30 Miles200 Yards002.5M0Lumpkin
49.41976-05-14234°15'N / 83°34'W34°15'N / 83°33'W1.90 Miles160 Yards000K0Jackson
49.71967-11-22233°43'N / 85°09'W33°44'N / 85°03'W6.10 Miles33 Yards0025K0Haralson


* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.


 
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