Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Georgia, April 14 to 15, 2007

The Toombs County Emergency Management Director reported that three trees were down in the northern part of the county. One large pine tree had been blown down onto New Normantown Road, one tree was down on a nearby farm, and another tree was down on Van Lewis Road, all between Vidalia and Normantown.

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF1 tornado, with a maximum wind speed of 90 mph, had touched down about one mile west of downtown Eastman and traveled north-northeast to a point about four miles north-northeast of downtown Eastman. The total path length of the tornado was 4.5 miles with a maximum path width of 100 yards. A number of retail buildings on U.S. Highway 23 sustained minor damage. However, an adjacent greenhouse was destroyed. The announcers booth at the Eastman High School football field was destroyed. Two unsecured mobile homes along the path of the tornado were destroyed. A man and woman were injured when a home in the the Greenwood Heights Subdivision was destroyed. Both injuries were the result of fallen and flying debris. The home was destroyed by a large tree which crashed through the home. Numerous trees and power lines were downed along the path of the tornado, several of which fell on and caused damage to homes.

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA confirmed that an EF2 tornado had touched down in central Laurens county, about 8.5 miles south-southwest of Dublin, or just south of Garetta, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 441/319 and Georgia Highway 117. The tornado traveled east-northeast across Turkey Creek Church Road, lifting approximately 5.5 miles south-southeast of Dublin near the Oconee River. The tornado had a path length of approximately six miles and a maximum path width of 200 yards. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 120 mph. Most of the damage caused by the tornado was along Turkey Creek Church Road between U.S. Highway 441 and the Oconee River. A tied-down double-wide mobile home was completely destroyed along Turkey Creek Church Road resulting in two injuries. Another tied-down mobile home was destroyed in the same area with two adults and two children inside. All occupants survived, but one sustained minor injuries. The carport of a site-built home was removed as well as a portion of the roof. Several other mobile homes and site-built homes sustained minor damage from wind and fallen trees. A large greenhouse was also destroyed. A number of trees and power lines were down all along the path of the tornado. A few trees were also down just prior to the path of the tornado near Rentz and Cadwell.

The Wheeler County Emergency Management Director reported that from eight to ten trees were blown down across the northern portion of the county. Trees were down on both Georgia Highway 126 and Georgia Highway 19 near the Laurens county line.

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet a second tornado had touched down in southern Laurens county. The tornado occurred almost simultaneously with the first tornado that tracked just south of Dublin. This tornado touched down about 4.0 miles north-northeast of the town of Cedar Grove and tracked east-northeast lifting about 1.5 miles north-northeast of Lowrey in southeast Laurens county. The total path length of the tornado was approximately six miles with a maximum path width of 50 yards. The maximum determined wind speed was 80 mph. Numerous trees were downed along the path of the tornado, which tracked through a mostly forested area. However, a few outbuildings were damaged near Mortan and Rock Springs Road.

A ground and aerial damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia, confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in western Treutlen county, near the Laurens county line, about 2 miles southeast of Rockledge or 1 mile south-southeast of Orland, just south of Interstate-16. The tornado traveled on a north-northeastward path across the town of Orianna, along the Laurens county line, continued north-northeast into the far western part of Emanuel county, and eventually into southern Johnson county across the town of Adrian, ending three miles north-northeast of Adrian, one again in extreme western Emanuel county. The overall tornado path length was approximately 10 miles, seven of which were in Treutlen county. The maximum path width was one-quarter mile wide. Maximum winds speeds were estimated at 100 mph. Much of the damage caused by the tornado in Truetlen county occurred in the community of Orianna where two homes were heavily damaged and two outbuildings were destroyed. Another home northeast of Orianna sustained minor damage. A grain silo was blown one-quarter mile away from its original location. Hundreds of trees were blown down along and just north of Interstate-16 near the initial touchdown point of the tornado.

An areal and ground damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet another tornado struck the eastern and northeast portion of Laurens county. This was the third tornado to touch down in Laurens county within an hour. It is believed that this tornado originated from the same thunderstorm that produced the tornado across central Laurens county a little earlier, which caused three injuries just south of Dublin. This tornado was rated an EF1. The track began approximately five miles southeast of Dublin and tracked northeast to east-northeast across the northeast portion of the county and crossed into Johnson county about eight miles east of Brewton. The tornado then continued well into Johnson county, lifting about five miles southwest of Kite. Fourteen miles of the approximately 19 mile long intermittent tornado path was within Laurens county. The maximum path width was 100 yards. The maximum wind speed in the tornado was estimated to be 100 mph. Several outbuildings along the path of the tornado were either damaged or destroyed, but the most significant structural damage with this tornado occurred in Johnson county. Several trees were blown down along the path of the tornado.

A storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the EF1 tornado that began in western Treutlen county near Orland, continued into the extreme western portion of Emanuel county just south of Adrian, and then continued into extreme southern Johnson county. This was the first of two touchdowns of this tornado in Emanuel county as it tracked into the county again after moving out of Johnson county. This portion of the tornado track was approximately one mile long with a maximum path width of 440 yards. Most of the damage done by this portion of the tornado was within the city of Adrian, which sits right on the Emanuel/Johnson county line. Here, one mobile home was rolled over and a portion of a roof was removed from a utility building. Approximately a dozen homes within the city of Adrian received at least minor damage. Numerous trees were downed in the area.

A survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the EF1 tornado, which originated in extreme western Treutlen county and briefly crossed into Emanuel county, continued into southern Johnson county, causing considerable damage to the city of Adrian on the Johnson/Emanuel county line. This tornado then continued to travel north-northeast through the extreme southeast corner of Johnson county before exiting once again into Emanuel county. The EF1 tornado traveled approximately three miles within Johnson county with a maximum path width of 440 yards. A good portion of the city of Adrian, the center of which lies in Emanuel county, lies within Johnson county. All together, at least a dozen homes, some mobile homes, were damaged in the Adrian community. A number of these were on the Johnson county side of the line. Two homes in a campground just northeast of Adrian were heavily damaged from downed trees. Numerous trees down throughout this area as a result of the tornado.

The storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the EF1 tornado, that originally began back in western Treutlen county near Orland, traveled into extreme western Emanuel county across the city of Adrian, then into far southeastern Johnson county, crossed back one final time into Emanuel county before lifting about three miles north-northeast of Adrian, or about five miles west of Norristown Junction in extreme southwest Emanuel county. This portion of the track was approximately one mile long. Since this portion of the tornado traveled across a largely rural, forested area, damage was confined mostly to downed trees. However, one unsecured mobile home in this portion of the county was destroyed.

An aerial and ground survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the second tornado that originated in Laurens county five miles southeast of Dublin tracked northeast to east-northeast across northeast Laurens county into Johnson county, approximately three miles north of Kite, and then continued on an east-northeastward track lifting about five miles southwest of Kite. The overall tornado path length was 19 miles, of which approxmiately five miles fell within Johnson county. The maximum tornado path length was 100 yards with maximum winds estimated at 100 mph. The majority of the damage along this portion of the tornado path occurred just north of Scott, where several homes sustained minor to moderate damage. A church in this area sustained minor damage and a family life center suffered considerable damage when it was shifted slightly off its foundation. Elsewhere along the tornado path within Johnson county, damage was confined mostly to trees and some power lines.

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet another tornado struck in Emanuel county, this time on the far eastern end of the county. This tornado was an EF2 tornado and touched down about two miles southeast of Twin City and traveled northeast to a point about five miles northeast of Twin City. The total tornado path length was five miles with a maximum path width of 200 yards. The maximum wind speed in this tornado was estimated to be 115 mph. Two homes along the path of the tornado sustained major damage when they both lost a significant portion of their roofs and outer walls. A mobile home was also damaged and some nearby outbuildings were destroyed. A large portion of the tornado was through a rural area.

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that a tornado, which originated in Worth county (covered by National Weather Service Tallahassee, Florida) tracked into Crisp county. The tornado entered Crisp county approximately 5.5 miles west of Arabi and traveled northeast lifting about three miles northeast of Arabi. The overall path length of the tornado, which inculdes both the Worth and Crisp county portions of the track, was 14 miles, approximately 7.5 miles of which occurred within Crisp county. The maximum path width was 200 yards. Maximum winds within the tornado were estimated at 100 mph. A mobile home was shifted off its foundation near Arabi and the support straps were pulled out of the ground. A number of trees were down in the area, some of which were blocking roads. The tornado tracked across Interstate-75 and a vehicle was tossed into the guard rail near exit 92.

The Bleckley County Emergency Management Director reported that a few small trees were down across mainly the southern portion of the county.

The Wilcox County Emergency Management Director reported that a couple of trees were down on a home under construction.

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet another tornado touched down in Dodge county and traveled very near the city of Eastman once again. This tornado was from a different complex of thunderstorms than the one that caused the first tornado earlier. However, this was the same complex of thunderstorms that caused the tornado earlier in Crisp county. This time the tornado touched down one mile south of downtown Eastman, traveling northeast. The total path length was 4.5 miles with a maximum path width of 200 yards. The maximum wind speed within the tornado was estimated to be 120 mph. The Dodge County Road Department's garage was destroyed. Two mobile homes in the area were destroyed. A nearby home suffered significant damage when parts of its roof, an exterior wall, and patio were removed. An adjacent barn was also destroyed. Several other homes in the area sustained minor damage.