Tornado and Damaging Winds in Georgia, October 30, 1993

Name: Tornado and Damaging Winds in Georgia, October 30, 1993
Start: 1993-10-30T02:20
End: 1993-10-30T07:45
Location: Georgia

October 30, 1993 · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

17 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 3
Injuries: 37
Property damage: $61 million
Crop damage: $550,000
Events: 18

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

17 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When: October 30, 2:20 AM EST
Where: Clay County, Ft. Gaines
Measured: 95 kt (109 mph)
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 440 yd
Injuries: 6 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $5.0 million
Coordinates: 31.626, -84.980 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds rolled and destroyed four mobile homes and downed several trees. The damage path of the straight line thunderstorm winds was one quarter mile in width by three miles in length. Several boats and docking facilities were severely damaged at Lake Walter F. George. Four people were injured from wind blown debris while a mother and a child were severely injured when blown from a mobile home.

Thunderstorm Wind, Seminole

When: October 30, 3:30 AM EST
Where: Seminole County, Donalsonville
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.939, -84.869 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ben Hill

When: October 30, 4:30 AM EST
Where: Ben Hill County, Fitzgerald to to Fitzgerald
Measured: 85 kt (98 mph)
Injuries: 4 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $5.0 million
Crop damage: $500,000
Coordinates: 31.760, -83.220 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds damaged several mobile homes and pre-fab homes. Several small sheds and outbuildings were destroyed or severely damaged. Four injuries occurred when an unanchored mobile home was overturned by thunderstorm winds. Several large trees were uprooted and power lines downed by thunderstorm winds. Over 8600 people in Fitzgerald were left without power for about eight hours. Nearly 25 percent of the pecan crop was destroyed in Ben Hill county at a cost of 100,000 dollars.

Tornado, Lee

When: October 30, 4:30 AM EST to 4:45 AM EST
Where: Lee County, Albany to to Albany
Rating: F2
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 750 yd
Deaths: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 27 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $50 million
Coordinates: 31.670, -84.170

A tornado struck a subdivision five miles north of Albany and killed three people and injured another 27. At least 42 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Also, fifteen mobile homes were completely destroyed by the F2 tornado. The three fatalities occurred in a mobile home and all three victims bodies were blown 75 to 150 feet away from the dwelling. Most of the damaged or destroyed homes were two story with brick or stucco exterior. Several residents noted that the tornado sounded like a freight train as it passed overhead. One elderly lady stated that her dog became restless and started barking 20 minutes before the tornado struck her home. Continuous lightning was observed by several residents prior to and after the tornado touchdown. Several cars were destroyed by fallen trees or wind blown debris. Most of the trees downed by the tornado winds were 60 to 70 feet tall Southern Pine. Most trees were snapped in half and laid to rest in a general northeast direction. Property damage estimates topped $12 million dollars. The tornado stayed on the ground most of its lifetime and varied in width from one-quarter to one-half mile. The damage path was approximately five miles long and ran in a SW to NE direction. The forward speed of the tornado was 60 miles an hour. (F32M)(M14M)(M8M)

Thunderstorm Wind, Irwin

When: October 30, 4:52 AM EST
Where: Irwin County, Irwinville
Property damage: $500,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 31.602, -83.276 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds blew out windows in a few homes and downed several large trees. At least 50 pecan trees in one orchard were uprooted, snapped in half or blown away.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wheeler

When: October 30, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Wheeler County, Alamo
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 32.117, -82.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds blew out windows in a few homes and downed several large trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Telfair

When: October 30, 5:15 AM EST
Where: Telfair County, Lumber City
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 31.930, -82.939 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous large trees toppled by thunderstorm winds damaged several power transformers.

Thunderstorm Wind, Coffee

When: October 30, 5:30 AM EST
Where: Coffee County, Douglas
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 31.549, -82.849 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees and power lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When: October 30, 5:30 AM EST
Where: Montgomery County, Alston
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 32.173, -82.535 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several power lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dodge

When: October 30, 5:35 AM EST
Where: Dodge County, Eastman
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 32.172, -83.168 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds downed several power lines along Mt. Avery road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilcox

When: October 30, 5:35 AM EST
Where: Wilcox County, Pitts
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 31.973, -83.432 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds blew a mobile home off its foundation and downed several large trees. Montgomery County 2 E Uvalda,30,0550EST,,,0,0,2,?,Thunderstorm Winds Several large tree limbs and small trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tattnall

When: October 30, 6:22 AM EST
Where: Tattnall County, Reidsville
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 32.046, -82.058 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large tree limbs were blown down by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pierce

When: October 30, 6:30 AM EST
Where: Pierce County, Blackshear
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 31.359, -82.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds collapsed a tractor shelter and caused numerous large trees to uproot along Georgia Highway 203. A couple of homes suffered structural damage from fallen trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: October 30, 6:35 AM EST
Where: Wayne County, Screven
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 31.551, -81.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large swath of trees was blown down by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bryan

When: October 30, 7:15 AM EST
Where: Bryan County, Pembroke
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 32.013, -81.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds along Georgia Highway 119.

Thunderstorm Wind, McIntosh

When: October 30, 7:20 AM EST
Where: McIntosh County, Darien
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 31.484, -81.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree and several large tree limbs were downed by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Chatham

When: October 30, 7:30 AM EST
Where: Chatham County, Savannah
Property damage: $500,000
Coordinates: 31.974, -81.092 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large resort ship was blown from its mooring in the Savannah River by thunderstorm winds and damaged as it collided with the New Savannah Bridge. Several large tree limbs and power lines were toppled by thunderstorm winds which caused numerous power outages throughout Savannah.

Thunderstorm Wind, Glynn

When: October 30, 7:45 AM EST
Where: Glynn County, Brunswick
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 31.213, -81.494 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A couple of large trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Georgia in 1993 Every state in 1993 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Georgia, 1993 Warnings in Georgia, October 1993

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10319379, 10321349, 10319192, 10321067, 10319024, 10320948, 10321044, 10319532, 10320786, 10319276, 10321053, 10320980, 10321033, 10320816, 10319378, 10321279, 10318477, 10318889.