Tornado and Damaging Winds in Georgia, December 16 to 17, 2000

The Stewart county emergency manager reported that power lines were down and there was debris on one of the roads which passes through the Hannahatchee Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA). It was initially believed to have been a tornado, but there was no confirmation of this by the National Weather Service, local, or state emergency management personnel.

The Dooly county 911 center reported that a roof and carport were blown off a home. Trees and power lines were also blown down in the same area.

An amateur radio operator estimated wind gusts to 75 mph.

The Bleckley county 911 center reported that a couple of cell phone towers were blown down.

The Crisp county 911 center reported that trees were blown down on Lakeshore Way along Lake Blackshear on the western border of the county.

The Crisp county 911 center reported that trees were blown down 2 miles north of Arabi and a power line was down in Cordele.

The public reported trees and power lines down near the Fulton county line in the southwest part of the county.

The Johnson county 911 center reported trees down on U.S. Highway 80 between Scott and Adrian.

The Pike county Emergency Management Director reported two trees down, one on Georgia Highway 362 in Hollonville and the other in Concord.

The Athens Daily News reported that a few trees and power lines were blown down.

A National Weather Service disaster survey team reported that an F2 tornado first touched down at 9:30 pm EST 6 miles southeast of Americus, Georgia, on Henry Hart Road, midway between Georgia Highway 377 and U. S. Highway 280. The tornado then moved northeast at approximately 45 mph lifting 1 mile east of the Flint river at Georgia Highway 27 and Joe Stewart Road around 9:42 pm EST. The tornado cut a path up to 100 yards wide and traveled on the ground about 10 miles or 12 minutes. Although the tornado traveled through mainly rural areas, significant damage was reported. A wooden frame house was completely destroyed near the tornado's touchdown point on Henry Hart Road, while another home was damaged nearby. As the tornado continued along its northeastward path, five outbuildings were destroyed, three barns were destroyed, two cattle were killed, one large camper was overturned, one high tension power line tower was severely damaged, and a few temporary construction trailers were damaged. Finally, just before the tornado lifted, several chicken houses were destroyed on Joe Stewart Road. As a result, nearly 400 chickens were killed. In addition, numerous trees and power lines were blown down all across the county. There were no injuries or deaths reported with the tornado.

The public reported trees and power lines down.

The Laurens county Emergency Management Directory reported that an Auto Paint and Body shop was severely damaged just north of Dudley on Rock Road. The roof was blown off and the walls caved in. In addition, trees and power lines were blown down in the same general area.

The Laurens county Emergency Management director reported significant thunderstorm wind damage in the general area between Rentz and Garretta, about 6 miles southwest of Dublin. An Auto Body shop was damaged just northeast of Rentz along Georgia Highway 117 and a block house was destroyed on Doyle-Taylor Road. The roof was blown off causing the walls to cave in. Four people were in the house at the time of the incident and one was injured when a ceiling beam fell on one of the occupants. Numerous trees and power lines were also reported down across the eastern half of the county.

The public reported two trees down and one small metal business sign blown down across the central and southern part of Warner Robins.

The Barrow County News reported that strong winds behind a significant arctic cold front blew a large 60 foot pine tree down onto a home in Bethlehem. Another large pine tree was blown down on Sims Road in Winder.