Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2004

F1 tornado, Cornelia, Georgia, September 16, 2004

Name: F1 tornado, Cornelia, Georgia, September 16, 2004
Start: 2004-09-17T00:30:00.000Z
Location: Cornelia, Georgia

This F1 tornado ran 2.0 miles across Habersham County on September 16, 2004, touching down at 8:30 PM EDT and reaching 30 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $2,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating: F1
Date: September 16, 2004
Touchdown: 8:30 PM EDT (00:30 UTC)
Path length: 2.0 miles (3.2 km)
Path width: 30 yards (27 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2,000
County: Habersham County
Touchdown point: 34.520, -83.520
Lift-off point: 34.550, -83.530
Record number: 528

What the Weather Service recorded

This tornado blew down numerous trees and power lines along its 2-mile track.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Sep 16, 2:58 PM EDT, 5 hours 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 16, 2:58 PM EDT, 5 hours 32 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
258 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)...
MOST OF THIS PACKAGE DETERMINED BY TRACK OF IVAN...WHICH IS NOW MORE
PROGRESSIVE AND EXPECTED TO WEAKEN FASTER THAN YESTERDAY. WIND SHEAR
TO INCREASE AS RAIN BANDS MOVE CLOSER...SUPPORTING TORNADO DEVLOPMENT
INITIALLY IN S. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR NC COUNTIES LATER TONIGHT S
SHEAR MOVES FURTHER N. ALTHOUGH SYSTEM TO WEAKEN FASTER THAN IN
PREVIOUS PACKAGES...WIND GUSTS ALREADY SUBSTANTIAL IN N GA...AND
BELIEVE HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA WILL STILL BE MET IN MOUNTAINS
TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...AND WILL CONTINUE WARNING. FOOTHILL WINDS STILL
TO REMAIN JUST BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA.

PROGRESSIVE TRACK WILL MEAN LESS RAINFALL...THOUGH STILL VERY
HEAVY...AND STILL MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN WAKE
OF FRANCES. WILL LEAVE FLOOD WATCH UP TONIGHT THROUGH SAT.
PRECIPITATION SHOULD TAPER OFF SAT EVENING AS LOW LEVEL FLOW S OF
IVAN BECOMES DOWNSLOPE FROM W...AND WILL LOWER POPS TO CHANCE ALL BUT
TN LINE. WITH REAMINS OF IVAN TRACKING E ACROSS S VA SUN...WILL
CONTINUE HIGHEST POPS TN LINE AND FAR N...WITH LOWEST IN S. DIURNAL
TEMPERATURE RANGE LIMITED BY CLOUDS AND MOISTURE...THOUGH DEW POINTS
TO FALL OFF IN W FLOW LATE.

&&

.LONG TERM (SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)...
CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY EXISTS IN THE MON THRU THU TIME FRAME. THE
REMNANTS OF IVAN MON AND THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF JEANNE TUE THRU THU
WILL BE THE MAIN PLAYERS IN IN OUR WX. DEEP MOISTURE AND GENERALLY
UPSLOPE FLOW CONTINUE MONDAY. JEANNE BEGINS TO MOVE TOWARD THE AREA
TUE THEN MOVES UP THE SAVANNAH RIVER VALLEY INTO THE NC MTNS THU.
GIVEN THE TROPICAL MOISTURE...LIFT AND UPSLOPE FLOW. HAVE INCLUDED
CHC POP EACH PERIOD. MAX TEMPS GENERALLY LOWER...MIN TEMPS GENERALLY
HIGHER THAN PREVIOUS FCST GIVEN THIS SCENARIO.
&&

.AVIATION...
COPIOUS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND ELY TO SELY UPSLOPE FLOW WILL
CONTINUE THRU THE TAF PERIOD AS IVAN APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTHWEST.
CIGS...WHILE GENERALLY MVFR...ARE BOUNCING AROUND BETWEEN MVFR AND
IFR. EXPECT ALL SITES TO BECOME IFR BY EVENING...AND LIFR
OVERNIGHT...AS RAIN SPREADS OVER THE AREA AND ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN
CONTINUES TO MOISTEN. VSBY...ALSO GENERALLY MVFR...IS DROPPING TO
IFR IN RAIN BANDS AND SOMETIMES EVEN VFR AFTER THE BANDS PASS.
EXPECT ALL SITES TO FALL TO MVFR BY EVENING WITH IFR
OVERNIGHT...AGAIN AS RAIN SPREADS OVER THE AREA. WINDS WILL BE ON
THE INCREASE AS WELL. SPEEDS INCREASING TO 15G25...AND EVEN 20G30
CLOSER TO THE CENTER OVERNIGHT. DIRECTION WILL ALSO TREND TO THE SE
OVERNIGHT. THE EXCEPTION IS KAVL WITH SLY FLOW IN THE VALLEY. HAVE
BROUGHT WIND SPEEDS UP THERE AS WELL...BUT AS USUAL...THE HIGHEST
SPEEDS MAY NOT BE REALIZED AT THE TAF SITE IF THE DIRECTION OF THE
GENERAL WIND FLOW IS MORE FROM THE SE.
&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR ZONES GAZ010-017 UNTIL 6 PM EDT.
  ...TORNADO WATCH FOR ZONES GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029 UNTIL 9 PM
     EDT.
  ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR ZONES GAZ010-017 THROUGH FRIDAY.
  ...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONES GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029 TONIGHT THROUGH
     SATURDAY NIGHT.
  ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR ZONES GAZ017-018-026-028-029 THROUGH
     TONIGHT.
NC...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR ZONES NCZ048-051>053-058-059-
     062>065 UNTIL 6 PM EDT.
  ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR ZONES NCZ033-048>053-058-059-
     062>065 THROUGH FRIDAY.
  ...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONES NCZ033>035-037-038-048>059-062>072-
     082 TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.
  ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR ZONES NCZ034-035-037-038-054>057-
     065>072-082 THROUGH TONIGHT.
SC...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR ZONES SCZ001-002 UNTIL 6 PM EDT.
  ...TORNADO WATCH FOR ZONES SCZ001>014-019 UNTIL 9 PM EDT.
  ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR ZONES SCZ001>003 THROUGH FRIDAY.
  ...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONES SCZ001>014-019 TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY
     NIGHT.
  ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR ZONES SCZ001>014-019 THROUGH TONIGHT.
&&

SHORT TERM...JAT
LONG TERM/AVIATION...RWH

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 16, 6:15 AM EDT, 14 hours 15 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
615 AM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-171015-
ABBEVILLE SC-ALEXANDER NC-ANDERSON SC-AVERY NC-BUNCOMBE NC-BURKE NC-
CABARRUS NC-CALDWELL NC-CATAWBA NC-CHEROKEE SC-CHESTER SC-
CLEVELAND NC-DAVIE NC-ELBERT GA-FRANKLIN GA-GASTON NC-GRAHAM NC-
GREATER GREENVILLE SC-GREATER OCONEE SC-GREATER PICKENS SC-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS SC-GREENWOOD SC-HABERSHAM GA-HART GA-HAYWOOD NC-
HENDERSON NC-IREDELL NC-LAURENS SC-LINCOLN NC-MACON NC-MADISON NC-
MCDOWELL NC-MECKLENBURG NC-MITCHELL NC-NORTHERN JACKSON NC-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS SC-PICKENS MOUNTAINS SC-POLK NC-RABUN GA-ROWAN NC-
RUTHERFORD NC-SOUTHERN JACKSON NC-SPARTANBURG SC-STEPHENS GA-
SWAIN NC-TRANSYLVANIA NC-UNION SC-UNION NC-YANCEY NC-YORK SC-
615 AM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...

INCREASINGLY WINDY AND RAINY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AS
HURRICANE IVAN MOVES NORTH THROUGH ALABAMA. THE THREAT FOR
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL...STRONG WIND GUSTS AND EVEN TORNADOES
WILL BE INCREASING TONIGHT. HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT
FOR THE MOUNTAINS WHILE A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL
OF THE REGION.

PLEASE REFER TO THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE FOR
FURTHER DETAILS...

FLOOD WATCH...FFAGSP.
HIGH WIND WARNING...NPWGSP.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SPSGSP.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IVAN WILL CONTINUE TO EFFECT THE
REGION INTO FRIDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO A PORTION OF THE WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 16, 5:39 PM EDT, 2 hours 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
539 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0512 PM     TORNADO          13 SE LAURENS           34.37N 81.86W
09/16/2004                   LAURENS            SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY COMMS CENTER REPORTED A TORNADO ON OLD MINTON ROAD
            WHICH BROUGHT DOWN SOME TREES.

&&

DEO

Local storm report, Sep 16, 7:08 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
708 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 PM     FLOOD            CLARKESVILLE            34.61N 83.52W
09/16/2004                   HABERSHAM          GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS HIGHWAY 441 STARTING
            TO FLOOD.

0700 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG CLAYTON                 34.88N 83.40W
09/16/2004                   RABUN              GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY 911 REPORTS TREES DOWN COUNTYWIDE FROM STRONG
            WINDS.

&&

HG

Local storm report, Sep 16, 7:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
728 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0518 PM     TORNADO          FORTSONIA               34.01N 82.78W
09/16/2004                   ELBERT             GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            *** 1 INJ *** COUNTY REPORTS TORNADO DAMAGE FROM
            FORTSONIA TO NEAR RUCKERSVILLE. MANY TREES BLOWN AND A
            HOUSE DAMAGED IN FORTSONIA WHERE ONE WAS INJURED. DAMAGE
            WAS 518 TO 538 PM.

0615 PM     TORNADO          REED CREEK              34.44N 82.92W
09/16/2004                   HART               GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY REPORTS MANY TREES AND POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN
            INCLUDING ONE ON A HOUSE IN THE NORTHEAST END OF THE
            COUNTY...ESPECIALLY IN THE REED CREEK COMMUNITY.

&&

HG

Local storm report, Sep 16, 7:59 PM EDT, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
759 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0650 PM     TSTM WND DMG     9 SE WALHALLA           34.68N 82.95W
09/16/2004                   OCONEE             SC   AMATEUR RADIO

            NUMEROUS TREES/POWER LINES DOWN IN TOKEENAH CROSSROADS
            AND FAIR PLAY AREAS.

0650 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 SE WALHALLA          34.64N 82.90W
09/16/2004                   OCONEE             SC   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES/POWER LINES DOWN IN FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY...OUTSIDE
            SENECA.

0655 PM     TSTM WND DMG     8 SE WALHALLA           34.69N 82.96W
09/16/2004                   OCONEE             SC   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN SENECA...OFF HIGHWAY 183.

0655 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 S WALHALLA            34.71N 83.06W
09/16/2004                   OCONEE             SC   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN AND AROUND WESTMINSTER.
            INCLUDED IN THE TREE/POWER LINE DAMAGE REPORTS WAS REPORT
            OF A TREE ON A HOUSE OFF EASTWOOD CIRCLE IN WESTMINSTER.

0700 PM     FLOOD            CLARKESVILLE            34.61N 83.52W
09/16/2004                   HABERSHAM          GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS HIGHWAY 441 STARTING
            TO FLOOD.

0700 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG CLAYTON                 34.88N 83.40W
09/16/2004                   RABUN              GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY 911 REPORTS TREES DOWN COUNTYWIDE FROM STRONG
            WINDS.

&&

SAB

Local storm report, Sep 16, 8:26 PM EDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
826 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     TORNADO          5 SSW CARNESVILLE       34.30N 83.27W
09/16/2004                   FRANKLIN           GA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            *** 1 FATAL *** TORNADO CAUSED TREE TO FALL ON CAR

&&

LGL

Local storm report, Sep 16, 8:30 PM EDT, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
830 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0545 PM     TORNADO          CARNESVILLE             34.37N 83.23W
09/16/2004                   FRANKLIN           GA   PUBLIC

            TORNADO OBSERVED NEAR CARNESVILLE

&&

LGL

The surface observations

Gainsville (GVL), 41 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)	Temp (°F)	Dew point (°F)	Wind	Gust (kt)	Pressure (mb)	Weather
00:00 UTC

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2004 tornado in Georgia Every tornado in Georgia since 1950 Warnings in force in Georgia now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of September 16, 2004

31 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
September 16	2:25 AM CDT	F0	Pike, AL	0.1	30			$2,000
September 16	2:56 AM CDT	F0	Barbour, AL	0.2	40			$2,000
September 16	3:05 AM CDT	F0	Pike, AL	0.1	30			$2,000
September 16	3:49 AM CDT	F0	Montgomery, AL	0.1	35			$3,000
September 16	5:45 AM EDT	F0	Jefferson, FL	5.5	75			$50,000
September 16	5:05 AM CDT	F0	Barbour, AL	0.1	40			$2,000
September 16	6:00 AM CDT	F0	Macon, AL	0.1	25			$2,000
September 16	7:30 AM EDT	F0	Dougherty, GA	2.0	75			$70,000
September 16	9:50 AM EDT	F0	Taylor, FL	0.2	50			$50,000
September 16	11:35 AM EDT	F0	Coffee, GA	2.0	1
September 16	2:56 PM EDT	F0	Aiken, SC	6.0	75
September 16	3:05 PM EDT	F1	Madison, GA	7.0	150			$1.3 million
September 16	3:33 PM EDT	F0	Madison, GA	1.0	50			$50,000
September 16	3:42 PM EDT	F0	Upson, GA	0.1	50			$1,000
September 16	3:50 PM EDT	F2	Franklin, GA	2.0	60			$1.1 million
September 16	4:00 PM EDT	F1	Saluda, SC	6.0	400		1
September 16	4:15 PM EDT	F1	Franklin, GA	3.5	30			$30,000
September 16	4:21 PM EDT	F0	Spalding, GA	0.2	50			$250,000
September 16	5:10 PM EDT	F1	Wilkes, GA	7.0	500			$1.5 million
September 16	5:12 PM EDT	F0	Laurens, SC	0.5	20
September 16	5:18 PM EDT	F1	Elbert, GA	7.5	30		1	$100,000
September 16	5:38 PM EDT	F1	Elbert, GA	1.0	20			$30,000
September 16	5:45 PM EDT	F2	Franklin, GA	5.5	50	1	1	$70,000
September 16	5:55 PM EDT	F1	Cherokee, GA	1.0	400		4	$300,000
September 16	6:15 PM EDT	F1	Hart, GA	1.5	40			$10,000
September 16	6:25 PM EDT	F0	Anderson, SC	0.1	15
September 16	6:35 PM EDT	F0	Oconee, SC	5.0	50			$2,000
September 16	6:40 PM EDT	F0	Anderson, SC	0.1	10
September 16	6:55 PM EDT	F1	Oconee, SC	4.5	50			$70,000
September 16	9:10 PM EDT	F1	Screven, GA	6.0	75
September 16	9:40 PM EDT	F1	Screven, GA	7.0	50

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.