National Weather Service releases information on Tornadoes

The National Weather Service has released partial information for the tornadoes on April 12 and 13, 2020. Below, sorted chronologically is the information provided by the National Weather Service Peachtree City GA.

 

This update includes the Chattooga/Walker and
Murray County tornadoes.

.Chattooga/Walker County…

Rating: EF2
Estimated Peak Wind: 120-125 mph
Path Length /statute/: 15.8 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 800 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/12/2020
Start Time: 8:15 PM
EST Start Location: 1.8 mils miles NW of Summerville (Chattooga County)
Start Lat/Lon: 34.4990 / -85.3689

End Date: 04/12/2020
End Time: 8:32 PM EST
End Location: 4.2 miles SE of LaFayette GA (Walker County)
End Lat/Lon: 34.6660 / -85.2150

Storm Summary: This tornado originated just north of Summerville in
Chattooga county where several trees were snapped or uprooted around
the Hair Lake Road/Mahan Road intersection. The tornado traveled
northeast, continuing to snap or uproot small to medium-sized trees.
A 10K pound camper was overturned by the tornado near Orchard Hill
Road otherwise structural damage was mainly confined to shingles
and/or siding being pulled off homes. As the tornado continued to
travel toward the town of Pennville over some remote terrain, it
appeared to briefly intensify over Back Penn Road, just west of Hwy
27. A trailer was destroyed and one corner of a barns exterior wall
was heavily damaged. Multiple trees around this property were
uprooted as well. The damage at this point was consistent with an EF-
1 (90-95 MPH winds). Mainly pockets of tree damage and minor
structural (roof) damage was then seen as the tornado moved just
east of Trion, beginning to encounter Taylor Ridge and the Walker
county line.

The tornado crossed the Chattooga/Walker county line nearly
paralleling Halls Valley Road. Trees were down on either side of the
road as the tornado appeared to turn more north, possibly being
affected by the higher terrain/ridge to the east. More significant
tree damage was seen along Ramey Road just before Hwy 151. Evidence
of numerous large trees snapped along with more intense structural
damage along 151 just east of Halls Valleys Road suggested the
tornado intensified to EF-1 quickly. It was also at this time that a
small Tornado Debris Signature (TDS) was seen from KHTX (Hytop AL)
radar. About 1/4 mile up the hill from 151 and Halls Valley Road, a
2-story home was hit hard. The entire second story and roof were
removed with heavy damage to the exterior walls. A jeep was also
tossed more than 150 yards from its original location. An additional
home had a good portion of its roof torn off on one side while the
floor above the garage collapsed on the other side. Windows and
doors were blown out and numerous large pines were snapped about
halfway down. It was in this area between the Hwy 151 and Halls
Valley Road intersection and Beard Drive, the tornado was at its
strongest (EF-2) with max winds between 120-125 MPH. The tornado
then crossed Hwy 151 around Mildreds Way with more snapped/uprooted
trees, then appeared to quickly weaken as it rode the west-side of
Taylors Ridge. Tree damage dropped off and ended near Smith Gap
Road with no other damage seen beyond this point.

.Dade County…

Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Wind: 100 mph
Path Length /statute/: 5.6 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 350 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/12/2020
Start Time: 10:54 PM EST
Start Location: 4.8 SW Trenton / Dade County / GA
Start Lat/Lon: 34.8372 / -85.5784

End Date: 04/12/2020
End Time: 11:05 PM EST
End Location: 1.6 SSE Trenton / Dade County / GA
End Lat/Lon: 34.8621 / -85.4851

Storm Summary: This tornado originated in Dekalb County, AL, in
the forecast area of NWS Huntsville where EF-1 damage occurred.
The tornado crossed the Alabama/Georgia border at EF-1 strength
downing numerous trees along Michaels Road/Brown Gap Cemetery road
before destroying the pillars in front of a house and causing
additional damage to the roof. The tornado then continued
northeast crossing Back Valley Road downing several trees on the
Trenton Golf Club property. Along US Highway 11, additional trees
were downed damaging houses before the tornado moved into the city
of Trenton. In Trenton, notable damage occurred along Glenview
Drive where an RV was overturned and destroyed. Additional tree
damage was seen along Canyon Park Drive before the tornado lifted.
In all, around 100 homes were damaged with a few destroyed from
trees falling in them. For more information on the tornado when it
was in Alabama please see the public information statement from
NWS Huntsville.

.Harris County Tornado…

Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 80 mph
Path Length /statute/: 3.0 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 50 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/13/2020
Start Time: 153 AM EDT
Start Location: 4 NW Waverly Hall
Start Lat/Lon: 32.7279 / -84.7924

End Date: 04/13/2020
End Time: 155 AM EDT
End Location: 4 NW Waverly Hall
End Lat/Lon: 32.7476 / -84.7321

Survey Summary:
A brief, weak tornado developed over eastern Harris County downing
several trees in a mostly remote wooded area. The tornado crossed
Oak Mountain Rd before lifting felling three trees which narrowly
missed a home.

.Murray County Tornado…

Rating: EF2
Estimated Peak Wind: 130-135 mph
Path Length /statute/: 7.8 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 860 yards (nearly 1/2 mile)
Fatalities: 7
Injuries: unknown

Start Date: 04/12/2020
Start Time: 9:45 PM EST
Start Location: 4.3 miles NW of Chatsworth
Start Lat/Lon: 34.8098 / -84.8377

End Date: 04/12/2020
End Time: 9:55 PM EST
End Location: 3.6 miles SSW of Cisco
End Lat/Lon: 34.9103 / -84.7761

Storm Summary: This tornado touched down in west-central Murray
county (GA) along Mitchell Bridge Road, just northwest of the Indian
Trace Golf Course, where several smaller trees were snapped in this
location. Additional damage was seen along a path that crossed Twin
Lakes Road and Hwy 286 where a few trees were snapped or uprooted and
minor roof/siding damage occurred at several homes. The tornado
appeared to briefly strengthen around Ellis Circle where there was more
notable exterior damage to homes along with a higher number of trees
seen uprooted. As the tornado crossed Fullers Chapel Road,
noticeable strengthening occurred. Aerial drone footage indicated a
wide swath of large trees cut down just before Norton Bridge Road.
Then, at least 8 double-wide manufactured homes were completely
destroyed along Deer Park Drive, with several others sustaining some
type of damage. It was here the tornado quickly jumped to EF-2
intensity with max winds around 125 MPH. Continuing north-
northeast, similar significant damage was seen along Ridgeview Lane
and Fieldview Court, where additional (mainly doublewide)
manufactured homes were destroyed. Also, a recently built cell tower
was left crumpled by the intense winds. At this point, the tornado
reached its peak intensity with max winds around 135 MPH (high-end
EF2). The tornado maintained its EF-2 intensity as it crossed over
Zion Church Hill Road, just before Hwy 225. As the strong tornado
crossed 225, a small single-family home was heavily damaged with
just a couple of interior walls left standing. Along Jim Petty Road,
there were 4 large chicken houses one was completely destroyed
with heavy damage to 2 of the other 3. Debris was thrown several
hundred yards away. Estimated winds continued in the 110-120 MPH
range in this area. Heading north along Jim Petty Road near Hawkins
Road, the damage appeared to lessen quickly with just a few trees
down and minor structural (roof) damage to a shed. Very little if
any damage was then seen beyond Baxter Road. The tornado is
believed to have lifted just before Sumac Ridge.

.Talbot County Tornado…

Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 80 mph
Path Length /statute/: 2.9 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 100 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/13/2020
Start Time: 208 AM EDT
Start Location: 4 SE Woodland
Start Lat/Lon: 32.7516 / -84.5144

End Date: 04/13/2020
End Time: 210 AM EDT
End Location: 2 SE Pleasant Hill
End Lat/Lon: 32.7794 / -84.4762

Survey Summary:
A brief, weak tornado developed over northern Talbot County
downing several trees in a mostly remote wooded areas but also
blocked several roads including Tom Buffington Rd and Sunrise Rd.
No structures were affected.

.Upson and Lamar County Tornado…

Rating: EF3
Estimated Peak Wind: 140 mph
Path Length /statute/: 16.7 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 1200 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/13/2020
Start Time: 219 AM EDT
Start Location: 3 S Thomaston
Start Lat/Lon: 32.8496 / -84.3335

End Date: 04/13/2020
End Time: 235 AM EDT
End Location: 1 NW Redbone
End Lat/Lon: 32.9943 / -84.1056

Survey Summary:
The mesovortex from the quasi-linear convective storm that
produced the Talbot County tornado intensified as it moved into
Upson County. A tornado developed just outside of of the southern
city limits of Thomaston near Gordon School Rd east of Old
Talbotton Rd, increasing in intensity as it traveled northeast.
The tornado narrowly missed the densely populated Lincoln Park
area but did hit Southern Crescent Technical College and Raintree
Golf and Country Club on US19 with winds of 70 to 85 mph. The
tornado intensified further after it passed Triune Mill Rd, where
homes and cars were damaged from falling trees, on a path parallel
to and just south of Yatesville Highway. As it reached Trice
Cemetery Rd, the tornado broadened to over 2/3rds of mile in
diameter. An unoccupied mobile home rotated 90 degrees and rolled
on its side. As the tornado moved into Trinity road it reached
maximum intensity where a single story home had most of its roof
blown off and every tree (mostly Loblolly Pine) within a 1/8 mile
radius was snapped. It was at this point that the KFFC WSR-88D
radar (about 30 nm NNW of this location) detected a rotation
velocity of 90kts and tornado debris was detected at an altitude
of 25,000 ft. The tornado slowly began to weaken as it traveled
through northeast Upson county and into far southern Lamar County
crossing US341 before finally lifting near Community House Rd just
east of Leverette Rd.

In total, 159 structures were affected, 38 homes had minor
damage, 20 with major damage and 7 were destroyed.

.Washington County #1…

Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 75 mph
Path Length /statute/: 1.7 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 50 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/13/2020
Start Time: 04:01 AM EST
Start Location: 2 SW Oconee
Start Lat/Lon: 32.8329 / -82.9698

End Date: 04/13/2020
End Time: 04:02 AM EST
End Location: 1.5 SE Oconee
End Lat/Lon: 32.8359 / -82.9414

Storm Summary: This tornado began just at the
Wilkinson/Washington county line and moved east for just over a
mile and a half. The tornado mainly caused tree damage before
quickly lifting around Highway 272 south of Oconee.

.Washington County #2…

Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Wind: 90 mph
Path Length /statute/: 3.1 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 100 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/13/2020
Start Time: 04:05 AM EST
Start Location: 2.3 NNW Warthen
Start Lat/Lon: 33.1199/ -82.8228

End Date: 04/13/2020
End Time: 04:09 AM EST
End Location: 3.5 N Warthen
End Lat/Lon: 33.1557 / -82.7912

Storm Summary: This tornado was part of a dual circulation
separated by only 5 miles. This was the southern most of those
circulations and produced EF1 damage almost exclusively with
winds of 90 mph. This produced mainly tree damage in the form of
uprooted softwoods and hardwoods.

.Washington County #3…

Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Wind: 100 mph
Path Length /statute/: 1.1 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 100 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/13/2020
Start Time: 04:12 AM EST
Start Location: 5.2 SW Mitchell
Start Lat/Lon: 33.1992/ -82.7831

End Date: 04/13/2020
End Time: 04:14 AM EST
End Location: 4.3 SW Mitchell
End Lat/Lon: 33.2066 / -82.7681

Storm Summary: This tornado was the northern most part of a dual
circulation separated by only 5 miles. Although it was a very
short path of only a mile, this tornado was able to snap hundreds
of mainly softwood type trees with the most extensive damage
crossing Hamburg State Park Rd.

.SE Washington County and Jefferson County…

Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Wind: 100 mph
Path Length /statute/: 14.3 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 220 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/13/2020
Start Time: 04:18 AM EST
Start Location: 2.7 NE Harrison
Start Lat/Lon: 32.8613/ -82.6972

End Date: 04/13/2020
End Time: 04:31 AM EST
End Location: 1 S Bartow
End Lat/Lon: 32.8919 / -82.4719

Storm Summary: This tornado began along News Bridge Road
destroying a building before moving over more rural sections and
snapping hundreds of trees consisting of both softwoods and
hardwoods. The tornado was remarkably consistent in its track,
producing EF1 damage between 95 and 100 mph nearly the entire
path. Dozens of homes were damaged with a few destroyed from
trees falling on them. The tornado near HJ lane pick up two
vehicles including a truck and displaced them 100 yards. Shortly
before the tornado lifted, it crossed into Jefferson county where
additional tree damage occurred.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories.

EF0…Weak……65 to 85 mph
EF1…Weak……86 to 110 mph
EF2…Strong….111 to 135 mph
EF3…Strong….136 to 165 mph
EF4…Violent…166 to 200 mph
EF5…Violent…>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.