Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2017

EF2 tornado, Bellville to Goffs Mill, Georgia, January 22, 2017

From Bellville to Goffs Mill, this EF2 tornado ran 12.0 miles across Clay, Calhoun and Randolph counties on January 22, 2017, touching down at 2:38 PM EST and reaching 400 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 1, and did $650,000 of property damage.

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 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 mphthis tornado

    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
EF2
Date
January 22, 2017
Touchdown
2:38 PM EST (19:38 UTC)
Lifted
2:52 PM EST (19:52 UTC)
On the ground
14 minutes
Path length
12.0 miles (19.4 km)
Path width
400 yards (366 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$650,000
Counties
Clay, Calhoun and Randolph counties
Touchdown point
31.570, -84.865
Lift-off point
31.680, -84.708
Record number
1701221338-01

The damage survey

16 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS TAE, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 125 mph.

  • Major roof damage to home due to a tree falling on the house. Minor shingle loss.
  • Roof torn off including structural portion. Glass blown out of window.
  • Numerous trees uprooted and snapped.
  • Numerous pine trees snapped along path.

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

A multi-day severe weather event struck the southeast January 21-22, 2017 with three rounds of severe weather moving through the area. The first round of severe weather started during the mid-morning hours on Saturday, January 21, 2017 as a squall line pushed into southeast Alabama and the Florida panhandle. As it pushed eastward nine warnings were issued with a total of 18 damaging wind reports (trees and power lines downed) related to these storms. ||After a brief lull during Saturday evening as the aforementioned squall line washed out near the Gulf Coast, strong southerly flow returned late Saturday night as a warm front pushed northward across the Florida Big Bend and southern Georgia. Initially with this late Saturday night to early Sunday morning event, a strong supercell moved across southern Georgia producing a tornado that moved across Thomas and northern Brooks Counties. This was the first tornado across the area with this multi- day event. From the same supercell that produced the tornado in Thomas and northern Brooks Counties, another tornado developed that tracked across Brooks, Berrien and Cook Counties and this tornado resulted in 11 fatalities. This overnight into early Sunday morning event produced one more tornado, an EF-1 that struck Lowndes County. ||A final round of severe weather moved through Sunday afternoon as a warm front continued to push northward into southeast Alabama and southern Georgia while the main low and trailing cold front pushed eastward across the Florida panhandle and offshore regions. This afternoon round of supercells first produced a tornado in Henry County, AL. An hour and a half after the Henry County tornado, two more tornadoes developed, an EF-2 that struck Clay, Randolph and Calhoun Counties (Georgia) and an EF-1 tornado that hit Franklin County, FL. After this, a long tracked tornado (track length of more than 70 miles) moved across Albany (Dougherty County) and into Worth and Turner Counties, causing extensive damage and five fatalities. ||Overall this multi-day event resulted in seven tornadoes, 16 deaths and numerous injuries. Three days of damage surveys were conducted to rate the tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

The tornado touched down in Clay County and moved northeast through the northwest corner of Calhoun County and into southern Randolph County. It caused extensive tree damage with nearly every tree in its path snapped through the Clay and Calhoun portions of the track. In addition, it flipped a mobile home in Clay County, injuring one person who was inside. The tornado caused major roof damage in Clay and Calhoun counties removing the roofing structure from two homes. It also caused minor roofing damage to several homes in all three counties. This tornado was rated EF2 with max winds estimated at 125 mph. Damage cost was estimated.

The tornado touched down in Clay County and moved northeast through the northwest corner of Calhoun County and into southern Randolph County. It caused extensive tree damage with nearly every tree in its path snapped through the Clay and Calhoun portions of the track. In addition, it flipped a mobile home in Clay County, injuring one person who was inside. The tornado caused major roof damage in Clay and Calhoun counties removing the roofing structure from two homes. It also caused minor roofing damage to several homes in all three counties. Damage cost was estimated.

The tornado touched down in Clay County and moved northeast through the northwest corner of Calhoun County and into southern Randolph County. It caused extensive tree damage with nearly every tree in its path snapped through the Clay and Calhoun portions of the track. In addition, it flipped a mobile home in Clay County, injuring one person who was inside. The tornado caused major roof damage in Clay and Calhoun counties removing the roofing structure from two homes. It also caused minor roofing damage to several homes in all three counties. Damage cost was estimated.

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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Jan 22, 12:43 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 22, 12:43 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
1243 PM EST Sun Jan 22 2017

.AVIATION [Through 18Z Monday]...

All area terminals have a threat for severe storms today with IFR
conditions and wind gusts to 50 knots. The convection will end
from west to east this evening with periods of MVFR ceilings
possibly rotating into the region from the north later tonight.
Non-convective wind gusts to 30 kt will be common this evening
and again Monday morning.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION [621 AM EST]...

.NEAR TERM [Through Today]...

A brief lull in the showers and thunderstorms is expected in the
predawn hours as the current MCS shifts northeastward. Attention
turns back west towards the upper trough which will move across
the ARKLATEX into MS/AL by late today. This will induce surface
cyclogenesis across southern MS with a surface low deepening
rapidly and moving northeast. Large scale ascent will increase
with showers and storms increasing in coverage and intensity this
morning in the warm sector and also along the westward moving cold
front progged to enter western fL panhandle and SE AL by midday.
All modes of severe weather is possible until the cold front moves
through. SPC has at least an enhanced risk of severe weather
across all Tri-State counties today with a MODERATE RISK for
severe weather across SW GA and FL Big Bend counties. Again, all
modes of severe weather is possible including a strong tornado or
two.

Severe threat will decrease from west to east later this
afternoon as the cold front moves through and mid level dry air
advects in.

The surface wind field strengthens today as the aforementioned
surface low pressure deepens. Although models differ on placement
on stronger winds today, most agree that wind advisory criteria
will be met across portions of the Tri-State region this
afternoon. Therefore, have issued a wind advisory for this
afternoon.

.SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Tuesday]...

Wrap around moisture from the upper trough itself will keep slight
chances of rainfall in the forecast through Monday morning.
Nothing severe, just light showers as this feature moves away from
the area. Monday afternoon through Tuesday are dry with high
pressure building in. Highs in the 60s with lows in the 40s to
lower 50s.

.LONG TERM [Tuesday Night Through Sunday]...

Tranquil weather is anticipated through Wednesday at which time
another cold front will swing through Wednesday night and
Thursday. Colder air will accompany this system with highs Friday
and into the weekend in the 50s with lows in the 30s and
approaching freezing across SE AL and SW GA.

.MARINE...

A gale warning has been hoisted for all coastal water zones
beginning this afternoon through midday monday. Conditions will
continue to deteriorate as winds increase in response to
developing low pressure across the southeast united states.
Conditions appear to improve beginning Tuesday.

.FIRE WEATHER...

Other than high dispersions later this afternoon, no fire weather
concerns.

.HYDROLOGY...

Another round of precipitation is expected today. 1-2 inches of
rainfall is possible with locally higher amounts before rainfall
generally ends this evening. Where areas received heavy rainfall
last night, rivers are responding with the Choctawhatchee River at
Newton forecasted to reach flood stage today. Other area rivers
will need to be watched today and tonight.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

Tallahassee   52  65  42  67  46 /  30  10   0   0   0
Panama City   56  63  47  63  55 /  30  10   0   0   0
Dothan        50  61  41  65  48 /  30  10   0   0   0
Albany        51  63  41  65  45 /  30  20   0   0   0
Valdosta      51  64  42  65  45 /  30  10   0   0   0
Cross City    55  65  43  66  46 /  50  10   0   0   0
Apalachicola  56  65  47  64  54 /  40  10   0   0   0

&&

.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

FL...Wind Advisory until 6 PM EST /5 PM CST/ this evening for Calhoun-
     Central Walton-Coastal Bay-Coastal Dixie-Coastal Franklin-
     Coastal Gulf-Coastal Jefferson-Coastal Taylor-Coastal
     Wakulla-Gadsden-Holmes-Inland Bay-Inland Dixie-Inland
     Franklin-Inland Gulf-Inland Jefferson-Inland Taylor-Inland
     Wakulla-Jackson-Lafayette-Leon-Liberty-Madison-North Walton-
     South Walton-Washington.

     High Rip Current Risk through late Monday night for Coastal Bay-
     Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.

     High Surf Advisory until 1 AM EST /midnight CST/ Tuesday for
     Coastal Bay-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.

GA...Wind Advisory until 6 PM EST this evening for Baker-Ben Hill-
     Berrien-Brooks-Calhoun-Clay-Colquitt-Cook-Decatur-Dougherty-
     Early-Grady-Irwin-Lanier-Lee-Lowndes-Miller-Mitchell-
     Quitman-Randolph-Seminole-Terrell-Thomas-Tift-Turner-Worth.

AL...Wind Advisory until 5 PM CST this afternoon for Coffee-Dale-
     Geneva-Henry-Houston.

GM...Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM EST this afternoon for Apalachee
     Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee
     River Fl out to 20 Nm-Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River
     to Apalachicola Fl out to 20 Nm-Coastal waters from
     Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM-Coastal waters
     from Apalachicola to Destin FL out 20 NM-Waters from
     Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM-Waters
     from Apalachicola to Destin FL from 20 to 60 NM.

     Gale Warning until 1 PM EST Monday for Apalachee Bay or Coastal
     Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20
     Nm-Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola Fl
     out to 20 Nm-Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton
     Beach out 20 NM-Coastal waters from Apalachicola to Destin
     FL out 20 NM-Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL
     from 20 to 60 NM-Waters from Apalachicola to Destin FL from
     20 to 60 NM.

&&

NEAR TERM...Scholl
SHORT TERM...Scholl
LONG TERM...Scholl
AVIATION...Wool
MARINE...Scholl
FIRE WEATHER...Scholl
HYDROLOGY...Scholl

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 22, 10:23 AM EST, 4 hours 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1023 AM EST SUN JAN 22 2017

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

1000 AM     FLOOD            4 W LAKE PARK           30.68N 83.26W
01/22/2017                   LOWNDES            GA   PUBLIC

            COCORAHS OBSERVED MEASURED 4 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 6 AM
            WITH CONSIDERABLE PONDING OF WATER ON HIGHWAY 376.
            INTERSTATE 75 EXIT 5 INTERCHANGE HAS FLOODED LANES ALONG
            LAKES BLVD.

&&

WOOL
Local storm report, Jan 22, 11:07 AM EST, 3 hours 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1107 AM EST SUN JAN 22 2017

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

0900 AM     TSTM WND DMG     KILLEARN LAKES          30.58N 84.22W
01/22/2017                   LEON               FL   PUBLIC

            SEVERAL LARGE TREES DOWN NEAR KILLEARN LAKES AND DEERLAKE

&&

EWESTON
Local storm report, Jan 22, 11:28 AM EST, 3 hours 10 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1128 AM EST SUN JAN 22 2017

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

1110 AM     HAIL             DE FUNIAK SPRINGS       30.72N 86.12W
01/22/2017  E1.00 INCH       WALTON             FL   PUBLIC

            PHOTO RECEIVED VIA EMAIL.

&&

WOOL
Local storm report, Jan 22, 12:09 PM EST, 2 hours 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1209 PM EST SUN JAN 22 2017

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

0900 AM     TSTM WND DMG     1 S BLOCKER             30.57N 84.27W
01/22/2017                   LEON               FL   PUBLIC

            TREES DOWN

&&

EWESTON
Local storm report, Jan 22, 2:23 PM EST, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
223 PM EST SUN JAN 22 2017

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

0258 AM     TORNADO          5 NNE THOMASVILLE MUNIC 30.91N 83.96W
01/22/2017                   THOMAS             GA   911 CALL CENTER

            *** 3 INJ *** DAMAGE REPORTED IN THOMAS COUNTY WITH
            DUAL-POL TDS. 3 INJURIES REPORTED

&&

RH
Local storm report, Jan 22, 2:27 PM EST, 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
227 PM EST SUN JAN 22 2017

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

0345 AM     TORNADO          4 SE ADEL               31.09N 83.38W
01/22/2017                   COOK               GA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            *** 8 FATAL *** EMS RELAYED REPORT FROM EMERGENCY MANAGER
            THAT THESE FATALTITIES HAD OCCURRED.

&&

RH

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.

Tallahassee Rgnl, FL (KTLH), 12:00Z

7.6 hours before the tornado, 144 km from the path. January 22, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Tallahassee Rgnl, FL at 12:00Z 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 1298 joules per kilogram, CIN -2, lifted condensation level 635 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, Tallahassee Rgnl, FL at 12:00Z 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 296 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 61 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
1298 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Surface CAPE
2230 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
635 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
296 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
441 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.9
Supercell composite
15.6
0-3 km lapse rate
6.3 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Tallahassee Rgnl, FL (KTLH), 00:00Z

4.4 hours after it, 144 km from the path. January 23, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Tallahassee Rgnl, FL at 00:00Z on 2017-01-23Temperature 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 -84211, lifted condensation level 1490 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, Tallahassee Rgnl, FL at 00:00Z on 2017-01-23The 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 -125 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 101 knots.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
-84211 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1490 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
101 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-125 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
6.2 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Blakely (BIJ), 27 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 Ft Rucker radar (KEOX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 19:35 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 22, 2017

20 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
January 222:56 AM ESTEF2Thomas, GA18.77003$270,000
January 223:29 AM ESTEF3Brooks, GA24.77001145$2.5 million
January 224:25 AM ESTEF1Liberty, GA0.6250
January 224:47 AM ESTEF1Coffee, GA3.11,200
January 225:52 AM ESTEF1Appling, GA11.11,900
January 227:00 AM ESTEF1Lowndes, GA4.8400$250,000
January 2212:36 PM CSTEF0Tuscaloosa, AL0.3200
January 221:02 PM CSTEF1Henry, AL5.5100$100,000
January 221:06 PM CSTEF1Bullock, AL2.0320
January 221:46 PM CSTEF0Lee, AL4.8200
January 222:50 PM ESTEF1Franklin, FL2.4350
January 222:00 PM CSTEF1Lee, AL3.1540
January 223:15 PM ESTEF3Dougherty, GA70.42,200588$310 million
January 223:52 PM ESTEF1Crisp, GA6.9300$20,000
January 224:00 PM ESTEF1Crisp, GA0.3900$10,000
January 224:15 PM ESTEF1Bleckley, GA2.2100$20,000
January 224:22 PM ESTEF0Bleckley, GA0.650$10,000
January 224:47 PM ESTEF1Atkinson, GA3.11,200
January 226:26 PM ESTEF1Camden, GA16.6120
January 226:29 PM ESTEF1Camden, GA1.6120

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.