EF3 tornado, Walnut to Mountain City, Georgia, April 27, 2011

1. EF065 to 85 mph

   Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

2. EF186 to 110 mph

   Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

3. EF2111 to 135 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.

4. EF3136 to 165 mphthis tornado

   Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

5. EF4166 to 200 mph

   Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

6. EF5over 200 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.

7. 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.

Rating

EF3

Date

April 27, 2011

Touchdown

10:30 PM EDT (02:30 UTC)

Lifted

11:16 PM EDT (03:16 UTC)

On the ground

46 minutes

Path length

37.0 miles (59.5 km)

Path width

900 yards (823 m)

Deaths

1

Injuries

1

Property damage

$5.8 million

Counties

Lumpkin, White, Habersham and Rabun counties

Touchdown point

34.666, -83.943

Lift-off point

34.927, -83.379

Record number

1104272030-01

3 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS FFC, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 120 mph.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

A highly diffluent, deep upper trough, centered across Texas, took on a negative tilt and began to rotate northeast during this period. A strong maritime-Pacific (mP) cold front accompanied the upper trough through the mid-south into the southeast from the early morning hours of the 27th to the early morning hours of the 28th. An intense low-level jet with winds in excess of 70 knots was noted in advance of this system and tracked across the mid-south early on the 27th, across north Alabama and north Georgia into the early morning hours of the 28th. West-southwest winds aloft were highly diffluent and near 200 mph across this same region. The strong low-level jet brought unseasonably, warm, moist Gulf air northward in advance of the mP cold front. Dewpoints in the 70s and maximum temperatures in the 80s combined with the extremely strong low-level and upper jets to create an almost perfect environment for severe thunderstorms and large devastating tornadoes. Indeed, the tornado outbreak that affected much of the eastern U.S., but particularly the south central and southeastern U.S. during this period, was unprecedented and likely the largest recorded in U.S. history. The tornado outbreak that accompanied this combination of weather features has been termed the 2011 Super Outbreak, an outbreak even worse than the 1994 and 1974 super tornado outbreaks across the eastern U.S. The outbreak affected the South Central, Southeast, Midwest, and even the usually less tornado prone Northeastern United States. Over 330 tornadoes were reported during this outbreak which began on April 25th and continued into the 28th affecting 21 states from Texas to New York. Even isolated tornadoes were noted in Canada. Nearly 350 people died from these tornadoes, of which over 230 of these were in Alabama alone. Four tornadoes on April 27th in Alabama and Mississippi were ranked EF5, the highest tornado damage rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. On average, there is only one EF5 tornado per year in the entire U.S.||Widespread and destructive tornadoes occurred on each day of the outbreak, but April 27th was clearly one of the most prolific and destructive tornado days in U.S. history, probably only surpassed by the Tri-State outbreak of 1925 and the Tupelo-Gainesville outbreak of 1936. The 24-hour period from 8 am April 27th to 8 a.m. April 28th is listed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the fourth deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history, with the 24 hours commencing April 28th at 8 a.m. as the fifth deadliest tornado day in U.S. history. It has also been determined to be the costliest tornado outbreaks and one of the costliest natural disasters in the U.S., even after adjustments for inflation, with total damages estimated to exceed $10 billion. ||Georgia was heavily impacted by this tornado outbreak, especially the northwest part of the state which bore the brunt of the massive supercell thunderstorms producing killer tornadoes that tracked east-northeast from northern Alabama during the late evening. All together, there were 15 tornadoes affecting 28 counties within the Peachtree City, Georgia 96-county warning area (CWA) of North and Central Georgia. All of these occurred within a 24-hour period commencing at 8 am April 27th. One of these tornadoes was rated an EF4, the first EF4 tornado in Georgia since the Palm Sunday outbreak in 1994. In addition, there were also four EF3 tornadoes. Fifteen tornado-related deaths were observed in north and central Georgia, the most tornado-related deaths within the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area since its inception in 1994. The previous highest tornado-related death total was 12 on March 20, 1998, when a tornado struck Gainesville, Georgia.||Finally, it should be noted that while the most significant period of severe weather during this outbreak for Georgia was from the afternoon of the 27th through the early morning hours of the 28th, there was an initial round of severe weather across northwest Georgia early on the 27th as a decaying line of severe thunderstorms moved into the region from northeast Alabama. Widespread wind damage and even a few brief weaker tornadoes accompanied this system into the northwest counties of the state.

An historic tornado outbreak affected areas from the Deep South to the Mid-Atlantic states April 27-28. A strong tornado touched down in Rabun County late on the 27th, with additional tornadoes affecting the North Carolina foothills during the early morning hours of the 28th. At least three supercell thunderstorms crossed the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia during this time. A greater number of supercells and tornadoes affected areas to the west of the Appalachians. Scattered areas of straight line wind damage and large hail also accompanied the storms.

An aerial survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City confirmed that the supercell thunderstorm which had already spawned several tornadoes across Alabama and two in northwest and north central Georgia, including Polk, Floyd, Bartow, and Pickens counties, spawned yet a third tornado in the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area. This tornado was an EF2 and touched down approximately 2.5 miles west of Turners Corner or the junction of U.S. Highways 129 and 19. The tornado tracked approximately 5.6 miles across northeast Lumpkin county, crossing U.S. Highways 19/129 approximately 1.6 miles north of Turners Corner and then moving toward Whitley Gap Shelter in extreme northwest White county. The tornado also crossed the Appalachian Trail in this region. The tornado continued across northern White county and then eventually into Habersham and finally Rabun counties of northeast Georgia, both of which are under the jurisdiction of the Greenville-Spartanburg National Weather Service Forecast Office. This tornado caused a death and considerable damage in Rabun county. The total path length of this tornado was 17.5 miles. Within Lumpkin county, the tornado tracked mostly through the Chattahoochee National Forest Region. Thousands of trees were blown down or uprooted along the path of the tornado through the forest and adjacent areas. Trees blocked parts of U.S. Highway 19/129 where it crossed for several hours. A total of 14 homes suffered major damage in northern Lumpkin county from the tornado. Four other structures sustained minor damage. One injury was reported from one of the damaged homes, with no fatalities.||[04/27-04/28/11: Tornado #7, County #1-2, EF2, Lumpkin-White, 2011:016].

An aerial survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City confirmed that the EF2 tornado that originally touched down in northeast Lumpkin county, just west of Turners Corner, continued acros northern White county and then crossed into extreme northern Habersham county and then into Rabun county before finally lifting. Within the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area of Lumpkin and White county, this tornado tracked approximately 17.5 miles total, with about 12.1 miles of this within White county. It should be noted that this tornado was spawned by the same supercell thunderstorm that had earlier spawned several tornadoes across Alabama and already two in northwest and north central Georgia, including Polk, Floyd, Bartow, and Pickens counties. The tornado tracked in White county from near Whitley Gap Shelter to just north of Anna Ruby Falls. Much of the tornado track was within the Chattahoochee National Forest, where thousands of trees were destroyed by the tornado. Two homes suffered major damage and an additional six others sustained minor damages from the tornado. No injuries and no fatalities were reported from the tornado within White county.||[04/27-04/28/11: Tornado #7, County #2-2, EF2, Lumpkin-White, 2011:016].

An area of strong tornado damage began in a secluded area across extreme northern Habersham County. Damage was initially found just west of Baker Branch Rd, though an aerial survey performed by the NWS office in Peachtree City, GA confirmed that the tornado actually began in northern Lumpkin County, moved across northern White County and continued into northwest Habersham County. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted as the tornado tracked northeast toward Goshen Mountain Rd. About 8 homes along Goshen Mountain Rd received minor to moderate roof damage. Meanwhile, trees fell on some homes and vehicles. Other homes had porches blown off while a small cabin was completely destroyed. The tornado continued northeast from there, but the track was lost in this very remote area. However, additional tornado damage was found just across the Rabun County line, on the west side of Lake Burton.

The path of an intense tornado, which was likely the continuation of the Habersham County tornado, was found in Rabun County beginning in the Lake Burton area. Damage was first found near a marina on Wildcat Creek Cove. A fire department building near this location was destroyed. As the tornado moved northeast across Moccasin Creek, it intensified and widened to around one half mile. Several large lake homes were completely destroyed in this area. Another home slid off its foundation into the lake. The tornado continued northeast across the Moccasin Creek peninsula and over the main channel of Lake Burton. Severe damage was observed again along the north shore of Timpson Cove, roughly paralleling Meeting House Mountain Rd. Several large luxury homes along the shore were destroyed, while many others received major structural damage. One 83-year-old man was killed in one of these homes. In addition to the major structural damage, thousands of trees were blown down in the Lake Burton area. The tornado weakened as it crossed highway 76 just northeast of Timpson Cove, proceeding to Black Rock State Park, where hundreds of additional trees were blown down. As the tornado continued northeast from the state park, it intensified slightly as it moved over a residential area in Mountain City. Half of the roof was blown off a condominium building, while surrounding homes had minor to moderate roof damage. The tornado crossed highway 441 just north of Mountain City and appeared to lift in the Oakey Mountain area. The tornado was very unusual not only for its strength but also for the rugged terrain in which it occurred. It was the first tornado to hit Rabun County since 1983 and the first F3 or EF3 tornado in the county's recorded history.

The deaths

1 direct deaths are recorded for this tornado, each with what Storm Data knows of it.

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

59 minutes of warning. NWS FFC issued a tornado warning for this county at 01:31 UTC, 59 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 02:30 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 22:52 UTC and running to 04:57 UTC.

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 00:50 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

The Greer radar (KGSP), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 02:30 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.

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

The live radar over the trackEvery 2011 tornado in GeorgiaEvery tornado in Georgia since 1950Warnings in force in Georgia nowThe forecast where you are

209 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

All 210 of them

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.

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