Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2019

EF0 tornado, Jesup to Doctortown, Georgia, March 3, 2019

From Jesup to Doctortown, this EF0 tornado ran 0.3 miles across Wayne County on March 3, 2019, touching down at 5:22 PM EST and reaching 50 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
March 3, 2019
Touchdown
5:22 PM EST (22:22 UTC)
Lifted
5:23 PM EST (22:23 UTC)
On the ground
1 minutes
Path length
0.3 miles (0.4 km)
Path width
50 yards (46 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Wayne County
Touchdown point
31.610, -81.840
Lift-off point
31.612, -81.836
Record number
1903031622-01

What the Weather Service recorded

A line of severe storms crossed the local area ahead of a cold front during the late afternoon into the evening hours.

Storm survey by EM reported three homes with minor roof damage, several more shelters with damage and at least 20 trees blown down and/or twisted and broken. Video also posted on social media of vortex.

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

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 20:35 UTC and running to 03:01 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
20:35 UTC03:01 UTCTornado WatchJAX
22:30 UTC23:15 UTCTornado WarningJAX
23:14 UTC23:30 UTCTornado WarningJAX
23:48 UTC00:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningJAX

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 forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Slight Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 20:00 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 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.

Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), 12:00Z

10.4 hours before the tornado, 124 km from the path. March 3, 2019.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Jacksonville, FL at 12:00Z on 2019-03-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 684 joules per kilogram, CIN -29, lifted condensation level 640 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, Jacksonville, FL at 12:00Z on 2019-03-03The 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 63 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
684 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-29 J/kg
Surface CAPE
164 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
640 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
104 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
1.8
0-3 km lapse rate
4.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), 00:00Z

1.6 hours after it, 124 km from the path. March 4, 2019.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Jacksonville, FL at 00:00Z on 2019-03-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 283 joules per kilogram, CIN -13, lifted condensation level 1308 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, Jacksonville, FL at 00:00Z on 2019-03-04The 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 181 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 54 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
283 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-13 J/kg
Surface CAPE
611 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1308 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
181 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
270 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.2
0-3 km lapse rate
6.7 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 22:21 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.

What was reported nearby

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

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
22:17 UTCHAIL 11 Ese ReidsvilleTattnall, GATATTNALL COUNTY 911 CALL CENTER REPORTED THAT HAIL THE SIZE OF QUARTERS FELL AT THE OFFICE.
23:11 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Sse BaxleyAppling, GA911 CALL CENTER REPORTED A TREE DOWN ON HIGHWAY 15 BY RED OAK ROAD.
23:16 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Ene OdumWayne, GA911 CALL CENTER REPORTED A TREE DOWN ON STATE ROAD 169 NEAR BETHESDA ROAD BLOCKING THE SOUTH BOUND LANE. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
23:22 UTCTSTM WND DMG6 Nnw GardiWayne, GATHREE HOUSES SUFFERED MINOR ROOF DAMAGE, SEVERAL MORE SHELTERS HAD DAMAGE, AND AT LEAST 20 TREES DOWNED. DAMAGE OCCURRED AROUND GRANTHAM ROAD AND HOLLAND DRIVE AREAS. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.
23:29 UTCLIGHTNING2 Nw AllenhurstLiberty, GALIGHTNING STARTED A HOUSE FIRE.
23:57 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nne CrossroadsLiberty, GAMULTIPLE TREES DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BARRINGTON FERRY ROAD AND U.S. 17.
23:58 UTCTORNADO2 S RetreatLiberty, GA*** 1 INJ *** NWS CHARLESTON SURVEYED THE DAMAGE IN LIBERTY COUNTY AND DETERMINED IT WAS AN EF-1 TORNADO. IT STARTED 3.8 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST RICEBORO, LIBERTY COUNTY AND TRAVELED EAST NORTHEAST FOR 7.85 MILES. THE MAXI
00:02 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 E RetreatLiberty, GA*** 1 INJ *** MULTIPLE VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO STORM DEBRIS, BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 70 AND 73 ON I-95. DAMAGE INCLUDED A TRUCK THAT WAS HIT BY STORM DAMAGE DEBRIS, POSSIBLY A TREE, A CAMPER FLIPPED OVER, AND A MOTORCYCL
00:02 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 E RetreatLiberty, GAMULTIPLE VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO STORM DEBRIS, BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 70 AND 73 ON I-95. DAMAGE INCLUDED A TRUCK THAT WAS HIT BY STORM DAMAGE DEBRIS, POSSIBLY A TREE, A CAMPER FLIPPED OVER, AND A MOTORCYCLE HIT A DOWNED
00:09 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Nnw Halfmoon LandingLiberty, GATREES AND POWERLINES DOWN REPORTED ON KINGS ROAD AND ISLANDS HIGHWAY ON COLONELS ISLAND.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2019 tornado in GeorgiaEvery tornado in Georgia since 1950Warnings in force in Georgia nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of March 3, 2019

44 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
March 312:55 PM CSTEF1Washington, AL0.2300$10,000
March 31:19 PM CSTEF0Autauga, AL0.670
March 31:37 PM CSTEF1Washington, AL2.6100$50,000
March 32:00 PM CSTEF4Beauregard tornado, AL68.01,6002390$1.8 million
March 33:15 PM ESTEF2Peach, GA6.74201$200,000
March 32:27 PM CSTEF2Macon, AL29.11,3001
March 32:34 PM CSTEF1Butler, AL0.350$15,000
March 33:36 PM ESTEF0Bibb, GA1.1150$100,000
March 32:38 PM CSTEF1Crenshaw, AL2.650$15,000
March 33:42 PM ESTEF1Twiggs, GA1.1300$50,000
March 34:05 PM ESTEF0Telfair, GA4.0150$50,000
March 34:09 PM ESTEF0Telfair, GA0.4100$30,000
March 33:15 PM CSTEF0Bullock, AL0.450
March 34:18 PM ESTEF1Wilkinson, GA3.1630$45,000
March 34:18 PM ESTEF0Taylor, GA6.6630$25,000
March 34:19 PM ESTEF1Harris, GA7.4900$150,000
March 34:24 PM ESTEF1Washington, GA0.6200$50,000
March 34:30 PM ESTEF0Jeff Davis, GA0.025
March 34:36 PM ESTEF1Washington, GA1.4290$35,000
March 34:43 PM ESTEF0Peach, GA6.4300$95,000
March 33:45 PM CSTEF2Barbour, AL6.7700
March 34:55 PM ESTEF1Washington, GA0.285$50,000
March 33:58 PM CSTEF2Quitman, AL to GA30.9860$415,000
March 34:28 PM CSTEF0Walton, FL11.9400
March 34:39 PM CSTEF0Clay, AL to GA10.875$10,000
March 35:44 PM ESTEF2Columbia, GA1.5100
March 34:51 PM CSTEF1Geneva, AL5.1300$100,000
March 35:53 PM ESTEF2Edgefield, SC5.02007
March 36:03 PM ESTEF0Orangeburg, SC0.225
March 36:30 PM ESTEF1Aiken, SC0.4150$2,000
March 35:33 PM CSTEF1Washington, FL5.3300$105,000
March 36:53 PM ESTEF1Lexington, SC10.8100
March 36:58 PM ESTEF1Liberty, GA7.8350
March 37:02 PM ESTEF1Miller, GA4.11501$200,000
March 37:13 PM ESTEF1Lexington, SC1.950
March 37:13 PM ESTEF1Richland, SC1.5150
March 37:18 PM ESTEF1Decatur, GA4.5150$20,000
March 37:33 PM ESTEF1Richland, SC0.6200
March 37:41 PM ESTEF1Gadsden, FL2.1275$50,000
March 37:45 PM ESTEF1Tift, GA0.7180$50,000
March 37:54 PM ESTEF2Grady, GA2.78002$1.0 million
March 38:06 PM ESTEF0Wakulla, FL18.4300$5,000
March 38:18 PM ESTEF3Leon, FL8.8700$500,000
March 38:42 PM ESTEF0Wakulla, FL0.750

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.