Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2017

EF0 tornado, Midville to Waynesboro, Georgia, January 21, 2017

From Midville to Waynesboro, this EF0 tornado ran 1.5 miles across Burke County on January 21, 2017, touching down at 2:23 PM EST and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

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

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    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 mph

    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.

The record

Rating
EF0
Date
January 21, 2017
Touchdown
2:23 PM EST (19:23 UTC)
Lifted
2:25 PM EST (19:25 UTC)
On the ground
2 minutes
Path length
1.5 miles (2.4 km)
Path width
100 yards (91 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Burke County
Touchdown point
32.958, -82.165
Lift-off point
32.950, -82.189
Record number
1701211323-01

The damage survey

17 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS CAE, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 100 mph.

  • EM reported trees down blocking road at Old Wadley Road for about 50 to 75 yards.
  • Damage to metal roof on barn at Meade Enterprises off of Reeves Road.
  • Irrigation system turned over.
  • Trees down near intersection of Highway 17 and Highway 78 north of Midville.

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

What the Weather Service recorded

Upper energy interacted with a warm front to produce severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes, mainly across southern portions of the CSRA and Southern Midlands.

An EF-0 tornado touched down near Old Wadley Rd and Hwy 17. The storm tracked NNE 1.3 miles, with a width of 250 yards, before dissipating near Bark Camp Church Rd. The tornado downed several trees and turned over an irrigation system.

An EF-0 tornado touched down near Reeves Rd. The storm tracked NE 1.5 miles, with a width of 100 yards, before dissipating near Rosier Rd. The tornado damaged a metal barn roof and several dairy calf weaning huts.

An EF-1 tornado snapped numerous trees, shredded a wall of a metal building, and destroyed two sheds on Scrub Oak Rd.

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

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 16:27 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.

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 Columbia, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Jan 21, 1:09 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 21, 1:09 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 21, 11:36 AM EST, 2 hours 47 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
1136 AM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-221645-
LINCOLN-MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-RICHMOND-BURKE-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD-
MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY-FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW-EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON-
RICHLAND-LEE-AIKEN-SUMTER-BARNWELL-ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON-
BAMBERG-
1136 AM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA
AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR TODAY AND TONIGHT
ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. SOME OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND LATE
TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND WITH TORNADOES
POSSIBLE. LARGE HAIL MAY ALSO OCCUR. HEAVY RAIN WITH SOME OF THE
SHOWERS MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY
NIGHT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE MAIN THREAT
WILL BE DAMAGING WIND WITH TORNADOES POSSIBLE. LARGE HAIL MAY ALSO
OCCUR. HEAVY RAIN WITH SOME OF THE SHOWERS MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED
FLOODING.

IT WILL BE WINDY SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL
LIKELY BE NEEDED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 21, 11:40 AM EST, 2 hours 43 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1140 AM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

GAZ065-077-SCZ030-211730-
Burke-Richmond-Aiken-
1140 AM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN
COLUMBIA...NORTHWESTERN BURKE...RICHMOND...SOUTHERN EDGEFIELD AND
SOUTHWESTERN AIKEN COUNTIES...

At 1140 AM EST, strong thunderstorms were clustered near Wrens, or 13
miles southwest of Grovetown, moving northeast at 30 mph.

Winds in excess of 30 mph are possible with this storm.

Locations impacted include...
North Augusta, Augusta, Clearwater, Belvedere, Fort Gordon, Martinez,
Hephzibah, Jackson, Burnettown, Blythe and Keysville.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

LAT...LON 3355 8203 3353 8201 3357 8196 3336 8171
      3313 8227 3323 8223 3327 8226 3327 8229
      3330 8231 3331 8235
TIME...MOT...LOC 1640Z 235DEG 25KT 3327 8231

CJR
Special weather statement, Jan 21, 12:07 PM EST, 2 hours 16 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1207 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

SCZ030-035-211745-
Barnwell-Aiken-
1207 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL BARNWELL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL AIKEN COUNTIES...

At 1206 PM EST, strong thunderstorms were clustered near Savannah
River Site, moving northeast at 35 mph.

Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
Savannah River Site, Williston, Blackville, New Ellenton, Snelling,
Elko and Windsor.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

LAT...LON 3324 8178 3356 8153 3342 8123 3316 8153
      3316 8154 3312 8159
TIME...MOT...LOC 1706Z 211DEG 30KT 3326 8160

CJR
Special weather statement, Jan 21, 1:00 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
100 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

SCZ027-036-037-211830-
Orangeburg-Lexington-Calhoun-
100 PM EST SAT JAN 21 2017

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN CALHOUN...
SOUTHEASTERN LEXINGTON AND NORTHWESTERN ORANGEBURG COUNTIES...

At 1259 PM EST, a strong thunderstorm was located 15 miles west of
Orangeburg, moving northeast at 35 mph.

Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
North, Neeses, Woodford and Livingston.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

LAT...LON 3350 8112 3355 8121 3384 8097 3372 8079
TIME...MOT...LOC 1759Z 218DEG 29KT 3356 8112

CJR
Special weather statement, Jan 21, 2:06 PM EST, 17 minutes before
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The air that afternoon

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.

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), 12:00Z

7.4 hours before the tornado, 203 km from the path. January 21, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 2017-01-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 138 joules per kilogram, CIN -38, lifted condensation level 581 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 2017-01-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 22 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 25 knots.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
138 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-38 J/kg
Surface CAPE
31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
581 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.3 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), 00:00Z

4.6 hours after it, 203 km from the path. January 22, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Charleston AFB, SC at 00:00Z on 2017-01-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -32151, lifted condensation level 944 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 00:00Z on 2017-01-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -314 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 47 knots.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-32151 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
944 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-314 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-121 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Swainsboro (SBO), 42 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

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

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

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 19:25 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 trackEvery 2017 tornado in GeorgiaEvery tornado in Georgia since 1950Warnings in force in Georgia nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of January 21, 2017

59 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
January 213:13 AM CSTEF1Pike, MS7.5150
January 213:35 AM CSTEF3Lamar, MS31.1900457$9.5 million
January 215:14 AM CSTEF2Choctaw, AL20.48004$750,000
January 215:55 AM CSTEF1Marengo, AL4.2900
January 218:49 AM ESTEF1Troup, GA5.4200$50,000
January 217:55 AM CSTEF1Elmore, AL0.7200
January 217:55 AM CSTEF1Elmore, AL1.5450
January 217:57 AM CSTEF0Elmore, AL0.290
January 218:48 AM CSTEF1Lee, AL2.8100
January 218:49 AM CSTEF0Lee, AL2.4150
January 218:55 AM CSTEF1Pike, AL37.3400
January 218:56 AM CSTEF0Lee, AL1.1150
January 219:00 AM CSTEF0Lee, AL0.8150
January 219:08 AM CSTEF0Lee, AL0.150
January 219:19 AM CSTEF1Lee, AL0.9300
January 2110:33 AM ESTEF1Harris, GA10.8400$75,000
January 2111:06 AM ESTEF0Talbot, GA1.9100$10,000
January 2111:14 AM ESTEF1Talbot, GA9.5300$65,000
January 2111:18 AM ESTEF1Taylor, GA12.3400$100,000
January 2111:22 AM ESTEF2Upson, GA5.7300$300,000
January 2111:25 AM ESTEF1Upson, GA5.3200$75,000
January 2111:32 AM ESTEF0Upson, GA0.8100$20,000
January 2111:39 AM ESTEF1Upson, GA1.9175$20,000
January 2111:59 AM ESTEF1Macon, GA8.9100$30,000
January 2112:08 PM ESTEF0Monroe, GA8.8250$15,000
January 2112:11 PM ESTEF2Peach, GA12.8350$295,000
January 2112:46 PM ESTEF0Twiggs, GA4.2100$50,000
January 2112:50 PM ESTEF1Bleckley, GA4.3100$30,000
January 2112:54 PM ESTEF1Wilkinson, GA5.8100$10,000
January 211:10 PM ESTEF0Putnam, GA0.650$25,000
January 211:20 PM ESTEF0Laurens, GA2.285$12,000
January 211:28 PM ESTEF1Baldwin, GA0.570$10,000
January 211:39 PM ESTEF0Johnson, GA6.4100$10,000
January 211:40 PM ESTEF1Washington, GA2.6300$30,000
January 211:45 PM ESTEF1Washington, GA1.3300$50,000
January 211:46 PM ESTEF1Washington, GA8.4300$60,000
January 212:09 PM ESTEF0Burke, GA1.3250
January 212:11 PM ESTEF0Emanuel, GA4.8200$50,000
January 212:40 PM ESTEF1Burke, GA1.075
January 212:42 PM ESTEF0Screven, GA0.750
January 212:50 PM ESTEF0Tattnall, GA0.9250
January 212:52 PM ESTEF1Screven, GA2.7525
January 213:47 PM ESTEF2Barnwell, SC13.81,6001
January 214:09 PM ESTEF1Orangeburg, SC5.5400
January 214:18 PM CSTEF2Harrison, TX6.9230$1.0 million
January 214:19 PM CSTEF1Marion, TX0.8100$250,000
January 214:50 PM CSTEF2Marion, TX to LA13.48001$900,000
January 215:12 PM CSTEF2Bossier Parish, LA10.89901$825,000
January 215:55 PM CSTEF1Webster Parish, LA3.5350$10,000
January 215:56 PM CSTEF2Natchitoches Parish, LA2.03001$500,000
January 217:00 PM CSTEF1Grant Parish, LA2.21501$250,000
January 217:04 PM CSTEF1Union, AR2.975$10,000
January 217:38 PM CSTEF0Union, AR0.650$25,000
January 217:51 PM CSTEF0Grant Parish, LA1.2150$25,000
January 218:29 PM CSTEF0LaSalle Parish, LA0.2100$90,000
January 218:45 PM CSTEF0Ashley, AR0.750$3,000
January 218:48 PM CSTEF0Union Parish, LA0.650$10,000
January 219:04 PM CSTEF1Morehouse Parish, LA8.9300$145,000
January 2110:44 PM CSTEF2Lauderdale, MS7.35501$175,000

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.