Hurricane and Tornado in Georgia, September 26 to 28, 2024

Widespread trees and power lines were blown down across the county. Multiple uprooted trees caused damage to power lines, cars and homes. Over 36000 without power as of early Friday morning (27th). A couple of gas station canopies either collapsed or were knocked over in Brunswick. |On 9/26 at 11:15 am, a mesonet site on Jekyll Island measured a wind gust of 44 mph. On 9/27 at 12:22 am, a mesonet station on Jekyll Island measured a wind gust of 69 mph. At 1:52 am, the site measured a wind gust of 78 mph from the SE. At 2:15 am, the ASOS KSSI on St. Simons at the McKinnon Airport measured a wind gust of 68 mph from the SE.

In a rainband ahead of Hurricane Helene, a weak tornado formed|near Broxton, GA along George Deen Rd and HWY 268. A video of the|tornado was posted on social media. Minor structural damage to |homes and several trees down were reported in this area. Around 2:30 pm, the tornado was sighted on the ground near Highway 268 East. It damaged shingles and shifted a doublewide trailer off of its foundation at 2507 and 2807 Highway 268 East. Multiple trees were blown down with confirmed damage as 1668, 1700 and 1732 George Deen Road. Some trees fell on a home.

At 2 am on 9/27, the EM reported multiple county wide calls of citizens trapped in homes. Highest gust recorded in the county was 53 mph from the NNW at about 1:50 am on the 27th, via Atkinson County EMA Weatherstem site. A manufactured home was completely destroyed in Willacoochee along US 82 near Sutton St and Paulk Ave. A large tree fell on a house destroying the roof in Kirkland. The roof was lifted completely off the Atkinson Court house and shingles were peeled off on the surrounding buildings. A warehouse suffered extensive damage in Pearson. The Georgia Farm Bureau reported numerous flattened or damaged chicken houses in Atkinson county.

The Alma GA ASOS owned and maintained by the NWS JAX office reported a sustained 56 mph with a gust near 100 mph from the SSE at 3:30am. There was significant damage to a couple of roofs and the building facade along 12th St in Alma, GA. A large tree fell and destroyed a trailer in Alma.

On 9/27 at 2:08 am, the ASOS station at the Bacon County Airport in Alma measured a gust of 86 mph. At 2:49 am, the ASOS measured a wind gust of 91 mph which was the highest thus far on record at that location. At 3:03 am, the sensor measured a gust of 100 mph from the SSE, the all-time record wind gust of this location. A nearby UGA Weatherstem site also measured a max gust of 88mph from the SSE at about 2:45am.

The entirety of the county was out of power on the morning of the 27th after the storm. Numerous trees and power lines down throughout the county with many road closures. Notable max gusts via Weatherstem sites: 51mph from the S at about 2:15 am (Nahunta), 58 mph from the SSE at about 2:20am (Waynesville). The same Waynesville site also reported sustained tropical storm force winds of 45 mph out of the SSE at 2:40 am.

Widespread trees and power lines down in the county, with some road closures. Multiple large trees and tree limbs fell on homes causing roof damage in Saint Marys. Schools remain closed as of Monday the 30th. Notable max wind gusts via Weatherstem sites: 45mph from the SE at 1:30am (Woodbine), and 53 mph from the S at about 3:19 am (Cumberland Island).

Widespread trees and power lines down in the county, with some road closures. Notable max wind gusts via Weatherstem sites: 45mph from the SE at 1:30am (Woodbine).

About 30% of homes were still without power in the county as of Monday the 30th, and cell service was nearly non-existent in many areas . Schools remain closed as of the 30th. A number of trees and power lines down throughout the county, including many transformers blown a large tree wrapped in power lines across the road near Martin St. A Weatherstem site in the NW Okefenokee Swamp measured a gust to 64 mph out of the SSE at about 2:10am.

About 30% of homes were still without power in the County as of Monday the 30th, and cell service was nearly non-existent in many areas . Schools remain closed as of the 30th. A number of trees and power lines down throughout the county, including many transformers blown a large tree wrapped in power lines across the road near Martin St.

Widespread downed trees and power lines were reported across the county. Many cars and houses were damaged or destroyed by falling trees, especially in Homerville along E Dame Ave, and US 441. Over 400 power poles were broken. The community opened four Good Samaritan shelters. A Weatherstem site in Homerville measured a max wind gust of 63 mph from the SSW at about 2:45 am on the 27th. 100% of the county was without power following the storm. One person was killed, and another person was injured due to trees falling onto mobile homes.

At 2:30 am on 9/27, a mesonet site 2 miles SSW of Baxley measured a gust of 68 mph from the SE. At 3:38 am, a mesonet station 2 miles SSW of Baxley measured a wind gust of 73 mph from the S. Widespread power outages, numerous trees down, powerlines down, and minor damage to homes were reported. Some large trees fell on homes causing roof damage. A metal roof was completely blown off a building in Baxley. Appling county emergency management implemented a curfew beginning September 30th to support public safety efforts for the widespread power outage, disruptions to cellular service and damaged traffic signals. The Georgia Farm Bureau reported numerous flattened or damaged chicken houses in Appling county.

Widespread downed trees and power lines were reported across the county, especially along GA HWY 32. Many roads were blocked due to downed trees and powerlines across the county. There were numerous reports of structural damage and fallen trees on residences destroying roofs and causing some entrapments. Schools to be closed through at least October 4th. There was one fatality due to a tree falling directly on a mobile home and killing one person inside.

On 9/26 around 2:33 pm, the EM reported and a video confirmed a Tornado about 1 mile NNE of Broxton on the ground near Highway 268. Minor structure damage occurred including shingles blown off and a double-wide trailer was shifted off of its foundation at 2507 and 2807 Highway 268E. Multiple trees were blown down with confirmed damage at 1668, 1700 and 1732 George Deen Road. Some trees fell and destroyed a carport and caused some damage to the home.

At 1 am on 9/27, the public reported several trees were blown down in a yard in Pridgen. At 2 am on 9/27, the EM reported the roof was blown off of a shelter in Nicholls. Injuries were unknown at the time of the report. In Douglas, there was extensive roof damage with metal roofs blown off of manufactured homes, shopping centers, businesses, and the City of Douglas fire station. Widespread uprooted and snapped trees fell on homes and manufactured homes in the Douglas area, especially along Walker St, Gaskin Ave, and Golf Club Rd. This resulted in widespread significant roof damage with numerous homes roofs and walls collapsing from the fallen trees. High winds also caused the total destruction of multiple mobile homes. A school along GA-158 in Douglas suffered a collapse of their concrete-block hallway structure, a significant portion of the roof was blown off and debris scattered across the grounds, and part of the concrete walls were destroyed. Windows were blown out and carports collapsed in Douglas. In Nicholls, a cell phone tower was knocked down and destroyed along Sessoms Rd. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) reported that 100 poultry farms in Coffee County were affected by the storm with numerous reports of flattened or damaged chicken houses.

A Weatherstem site east of Douglas reported a sustained wind of 46 mph with a gust to 92 mph from the SE at about 2:15 am.

A Weatherstem site in Lake Park measured a wind gust of 90 mph out of the SE at about 1:00 am Friday the 27th. A shelter in place was issued by the county on Thursday Afternoon (26th) ahead of the storm. Approximately 1000 power poles were broken in the county, almost twice of what occurred during Hurricane Idalia in 2023. Widespread trees and powerlines were down throughout the county: described as unprecedented historic damage by EMA. Many roads were blocked by trees and powerlines and many roofs were damaged by both high winds and fallen trees, especially along HWY 129.

Widespread trees and power lines were blown down across the county. Multiple uprooted trees caused damage to power lines, cars and homes. A church spire topple to the ground along US 341 and Depratter Ln in Sterling, GA. Over 36000 without power as of early Friday morning (27th).

Widespread trees and powerlines were down throughout the county, many across roads and homes causing entrapments. At 2:15 am on 9/27, the EM reported a fatality in a mobile home. A follow-up media report indicated that there was a male and female killed in a mobile home along Highway 19 at Adams Cemetery Road when the trailer was lifted off of its foundation and thrown into a nearby field. A tree fell on a mobile home along Bell Telephone Road and killed one person inside per a media report. Another person was reported missing. About 85% of county residents were without power. Many businesses in Hazelhurst suffered roof and awning damage. A large tree fell on a home along US 221 causing the roof to collapse. The Georgia Farm Bureau reported numerous flattened or damaged chicken houses in Jeff Davis county.

A Blackshear firefighter was killed in the line of duty when a tree fell onto his truck when he was responding to calls during the night of the hurricane in Blackshear, GA. Widespread trees and powerlines down, restoration of power is slow due to damage and extent. A shelter was opened after the storm to provide a safe place for people to stay, and a Red Cross shelter was opened to hand out supplies. The Georgia Department of Agriculture reported that a table egg producer in Pierce County had 17 houses down.

At 1:50 am on 9/27, a mesonet station at the Wayne County High School about 2 miles NW of Jesup measured a 66 mph wind gust from the SE. At 3:20 am, a mesonet station about 1 mile NNE of Jesup along US Highway 341 at State Road 38 measured a gust of 64 mph from the SE. Widespread trees and powerlines down across the county, with wind damage to homes like shutters, shingles, and trees fallen on homes. A significant portion of the metal roofing of a local school peeled off. The county experienced 100% power outage and some households didn’t have power for 14 days.

At 2:04 am on 9/27, the RAWS station OKEG1 in Waycross measured a wind gust of 71 mph from the SE. Reports of widespread power outages, no running water, powerlines down, trees down, and damage to mobile homes. Ware County opened two shelters in Waycross before the storm. In Waycross, widespread uprooted and snapped trees fell on roads, cars, and houses, especially along Seminole Trail, St. Marys Dr, Cherokee Dr, and Satilla Blvd. This resulted in multiple houses having their roofs destroyed.

At 2:04 am on 9/27, the RAWS station OKEG1 in Waycross measured a wind gust of 71 mph from the SE. Reports of widespread power outages, no running water, powerlines down, trees down, and damage to mobile homes.