Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2020
EF0 tornado, Belleview to Pleasant Hill, Georgia, April 13, 2020
From Belleview to Pleasant Hill, this EF0 tornado ran 2.9 miles across Talbot County on April 13, 2020, touching down at 2:08 AM EDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $25,000 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.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
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.
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.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
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.
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
- April 13, 2020
- Touchdown
- 2:08 AM EDT (06:08 UTC)
- Lifted
- 2:10 AM EDT (06:10 UTC)
- On the ground
- 2 minutes
- Path length
- 2.9 miles (4.7 km)
- Path width
- 100 yards (91 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $25,000
- County
- Talbot County
- Touchdown point
- 32.752, -84.514
- Lift-off point
- 32.779, -84.476
- Record number
- 2004130008-01
The damage survey
2 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS FFC, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The highest wind the damage implies is 73 mph.
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 powerful Spring storm system resulted in a Severe Weather / Tornado outbreak across much of the Southeast region, including north and central Georgia, beginning on Easter Sunday (April 12th) and lingering into the morning hours of April 13th. From the Storm Prediction Center (Day 1) convective outlook, just about the entire area was under an ENHANCED risk for severe weather with a MODERATE risk extending from the ArkLaMiss into western Georgia.||In addition, enhanced rainfall occurred over far north Georgia and in portions of central Georgia, with rainfall amounts ranging from 3 to 8 inches through the event. Significant flooding was in portions of the area with numerous reports of washouts and several reports of rescues.
A National Weather Service survey found that an EF0 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 80 mph and a maximum path width of 100 yards developed over northern |Talbot County blowing down numerous trees in a mostly remote, wooded area. Several roads were blocked by downed trees including Tom Buffington Road and Sunrise Road. [04/12/20: Tornado #10, County #1/1, EF-0, Talbot, 2020:016].
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
7 minutes of warning. NWS FFC issued a tornado warning for this county at 06:01 UTC, 7 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 06:30 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 03:45 UTC and running to 07:23 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22:00 UTC | 14:00 UTC | Wind Advisory | FFC |
| 03:45 UTC | 07:23 UTC | Tornado Watch | FFC |
| 05:18 UTC | 06:15 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC |
| 06:01 UTC | 06:30 UTC | Tornado Warning | FFC |
| 06:18 UTC | 07:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC |
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 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.
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), 00:00Z
6.1 hours before the tornado, 67 km from the path. April 13, 2020.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 404 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -107 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 710 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 804 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 70 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 733 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 874 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.3
- Supercell composite
- 10.8
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.9 K/km
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), 12:00Z
5.9 hours after it, 67 km from the path. April 13, 2020.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -7869 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1650 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 78 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 57 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -220 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -124 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.1 K/km
The radar
The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 06:05 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) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05:26 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 E Baughs Crossroads | Troup, GA | MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ACROSS SEVERAL ROADWAYS JUST EAST OF BAUGHS CROSSROADS. |
| 05:45 UTC | TSTM WND GST 58 | 1 W Columbus Metropolit | Muscogee, GA | ASOS STATION KCSG COLUMBUS REPORTED 58 MPH WIND GUST AS THUNDERSTORM PASSED BY. |
| 05:53 UTC | TORNADO | 4 Nw Waverly Hall | Harris, GA | AN EF0 TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 80 MPH DEVELOPED OVER EASTERN HARRIS COUNTY DOWNING SEVERAL TREES IN A MOSTLY REMOTE WOODED AREA. THE TORNADO CROSSED OAK MOUNTAIN RD BEFORE LIFTING FELLING THREE TREES WHICH NARROWLY |
| 06:07 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Se Woodland | Talbot, GA | SEVERAL TREES REPORTED DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF TOM BUFFINGTON RD AND JEFF HENDRICKS RD. TORNADO POSSIBLE. |
| 06:08 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ese Talbotton | Talbot, GA | TREE REPORTED DOWN ON A DOUBLE-WIDE TRAILER ON THE 600 BLOCK OF CLARK ST. TORNADO POSSIBLE. |
| 06:08 UTC | TORNADO | 4 Se Woodland | Talbot, GA | A BRIEF EF0 TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 80 MPH DEVELOPED OVER NORTHERN TALBOT COUNTY DOWNING SEVERAL TREES IN A MOSTLY REMOTE WOODED AREAS BUT ALSO BLOCKED SEVERAL ROADS INCLUDING TOM BUFFINGTON RD AND SUNRISE RD. NO S |
| 06:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Wnw Digbey | Coweta, GA | TREE DOWN ON THE 10000 BLOCK OF E HWY 16 |
| 06:19 UTC | TORNADO | 3 S Thomaston | Upson, GA | THIS IS AN EF3 TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 140MPH. THIS TORNADO DEVELOPED NEAR GORDON SCHOOL ROAD AND INCREASED IN INTENSITY AS IT MOVED NORTHEASTWARD. IT HIT THE CRESCENT TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND RAINTREE GOLF COURSE WITH WINDS |
| 06:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 E Thomaston | Upson, GA | TREES AND POWERLINES REPORTED DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF HWY 74 AND TRICE ROADS |
| 06:27 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 S The Rock | Upson, GA | TREES REPORTED DOWN ON HOUSES IN THE AREA OF THE INTERSECTION OF TRINITY RD AND HWY 74. |
| 06:28 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ese Zellobee | Marion, GA | A TREE FELL ONTO A HOM ON THE 90TH BLOCK OF WESTWIND TRAIL. |
| 06:28 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Buena Vista | Marion, GA | TREE DOWN ON A SHED ALONG 1ST AVENUE. |
| 06:32 UTC | TORNADO | 1 W Redbone | Lamar, GA | THIS TORNADO MOVED INTO LAMAR COUNTY FROM UPSON COUNTY AND LIFTED NEAR COMMUITY HOUSE ROAD JUST EAST OF LEVERETTE ROAD. THE TORNADO WAS RATED AN OVERALL EF3 WITH 140MPH WINDS, MOSTLY IN UPSON COUNTY. |
| 06:33 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Sw Piedmont | Upson, GA | TREE REPORTED DOWN IN THE ROADWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF STEWART RD AND JUGTOWN RD. |
| 06:38 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ene Redbone | Lamar, GA | A TREE WAS DOWNED ACROSS THE ROAD AT COMMUNITY HOUSE ROAD AND BRENT ROAD. |
| 06:38 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Nne Butler | Taylor, GA | SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES DOWN IN AND NEAR BUTLER. |
| 06:40 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Ene Collier | Monroe, GA | *** 1 INJ *** A TONADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST EAST OF THE LAMAR/MONROE COUNTY LINE ALONG POTTS CEMETERY RD. THE STORM TRACKED NE WHERE IT INTENSIFIED TO EF3 STRENGTH WITH ESTIMATED 140 MPH WINDS WHERE IT DESTROYED A LARGE MET |
| 06:46 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ene Rupert | Taylor, GA | TREE DOWN ON DANIELLE RD NEAR THE TOWN OF RUPERT |
| 06:47 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Nne Senoia | Coweta, GA | TREE DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF STALLINGS RD AND MATTHEW ST |
| 06:51 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Reynolds | Taylor, GA | SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES DOWN AND TWO REPORTS OF POWER LINES DOWN... A CARPORT DESTROYED ON A NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME... ALL IN OR NEAR REYNOLDS. |
| 06:53 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Wnw Lizella | Bibb, GA | TREE DOWN ON HOPEWELL RD |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2020 tornado in GeorgiaEvery tornado in Georgia since 1950Warnings in force in Georgia nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of April 13, 2020
67 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 13 | 2:19 AM EDT | EF3 | Upson, GA | 16.6 | 1,200 | $305,000 | ||
| April 13 | 2:36 AM EDT | EF0 | Fulton, GA | 2.8 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| April 13 | 2:40 AM EDT | EF3 | Monroe, GA | 5.3 | 300 | 1 | $10 million | |
| April 13 | 2:49 AM EDT | EF1 | Banks, GA | 14.3 | 200 | $130,000 | ||
| April 13 | 3:00 AM EDT | EF1 | Bibb, GA | 3.7 | 300 | $250,000 | ||
| April 13 | 3:07 AM EDT | EF1 | Stephens, GA | 8.7 | 500 | $20,000 | ||
| April 13 | 3:18 AM EDT | EF1 | Oconee, SC | 4.0 | 400 | |||
| April 13 | 3:18 AM EDT | EF1 | Putnam, GA | 12.9 | 300 | $100,000 | ||
| April 13 | 3:21 AM EDT | EF3 | Seneca tornado, SC | 16.7 | 1,000 | 1 | 5 | $100 million |
| April 13 | 3:38 AM EDT | EF1 | Greene, GA | 6.4 | 350 | $500,000 | ||
| April 13 | 3:41 AM EDT | EF2 | Pickens, SC | 8.0 | 200 | 8 | $300,000 | |
| April 13 | 3:44 AM EDT | EF0 | Pickens, SC | 7.4 | 70 | |||
| April 13 | 4:01 AM EDT | EF0 | Greenville, SC | 0.7 | 30 | $20,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:01 AM EDT | EF0 | Washington, GA | 1.7 | 50 | $20,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:05 AM EDT | EF0 | Washington, GA | 3.1 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:12 AM EDT | EF0 | Washington, GA | 1.0 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:18 AM EDT | EF1 | Washington, GA | 14.2 | 220 | $270,000 | ||
| April 13 | 4:53 AM EDT | EF2 | Burke, GA | 16.5 | 700 | |||
| April 13 | 5:21 AM EDT | EF3 | Barnwell, SC | 37.9 | 800 | |||
| April 13 | 5:33 AM EDT | EF3 | Barnwell, SC | 8.5 | 50 | |||
| April 13 | 5:36 AM EDT | EF1 | Tift, GA | 3.6 | 100 | $200,000 | ||
| April 13 | 5:43 AM EDT | EF3 | Barnwell, SC | 35.7 | 770 | 2 | 7 | |
| April 13 | 5:49 AM EDT | EF3 | Barnwell, SC | 1.4 | 40 | |||
| April 13 | 5:50 AM EDT | EF3 | Barnwell, SC | 5.4 | 800 | |||
| April 13 | 5:53 AM EDT | EF1 | Richland, SC | 4.9 | 80 | |||
| April 13 | 4:58 AM CDT | EF1 | Screven, GA to SC | 5.9 | 200 | |||
| April 13 | 6:01 AM EDT | EF1 | Irwin, GA | 1.9 | 50 | |||
| April 13 | 6:04 AM EDT | EF0 | Allendale, SC | 5.8 | 300 | |||
| April 13 | 6:10 AM EDT | EF4 | Hampton County tornado, SC | 23.7 | 1,300 | 5 | 60 | |
| April 13 | 6:25 AM EDT | EF2 | Orangeburg, SC | 10.2 | 700 | |||
| April 13 | 6:32 AM EDT | EF1 | Alamance, NC | 4.5 | 440 | $500,000 | ||
| April 13 | 6:34 AM EDT | EF2 | Anson, NC | 0.2 | 75 | $600,000 | ||
| April 13 | 6:39 AM EDT | EF0 | Coffee, GA | 1.2 | 125 | |||
| April 13 | 6:39 AM EDT | EF1 | Colleton, SC | 1.4 | 50 | |||
| April 13 | 6:45 AM EDT | EF1 | Anson, NC | 8.8 | 200 | $3.0 million | ||
| April 13 | 6:46 AM EDT | EF1 | Colleton, SC | 3.1 | 100 | |||
| April 13 | 6:47 AM EDT | EF1 | Colleton, SC | 17.3 | 500 | |||
| April 13 | 7:10 AM EDT | EF1 | Dorchester, SC | 2.3 | 150 | |||
| April 13 | 7:25 AM EDT | EF1 | Wayne, GA | 4.8 | 440 | 8 | ||
| April 13 | 7:37 AM EDT | EF1 | Long, GA | 3.2 | 500 | |||
| April 13 | 7:38 AM EDT | EF3 | Berkeley, SC | 5.7 | 400 | 6 | ||
| April 13 | 7:47 AM EDT | EF0 | Long, GA | 0.4 | 100 | |||
| April 13 | 7:51 AM EDT | EF0 | Berkeley, SC | 0.9 | 200 | |||
| April 13 | 8:00 AM EDT | EF1 | Berkeley, SC | 2.5 | 400 | |||
| April 13 | 8:10 AM EDT | EF1 | Columbus, NC | 0.6 | 100 | $100,000 | ||
| April 13 | 8:11 AM EDT | EF1 | Liberty, GA | 8.9 | 250 | |||
| April 13 | 8:13 AM EDT | EF1 | Georgetown, SC | 4.8 | 40 | $100,000 | ||
| April 13 | 8:15 AM EDT | EF1 | Georgetown, SC | 11.0 | 50 | $75,000 | ||
| April 13 | 8:15 AM EDT | EF2 | Colleton, SC | 1.2 | 140 | |||
| April 13 | 8:28 AM EDT | EF1 | Charleston, SC | 1.3 | 120 | |||
| April 13 | 8:33 AM EDT | EF1 | Charleston, SC | 0.3 | 60 | |||
| April 13 | 8:36 AM EDT | EF2 | Georgetown, SC | 4.6 | 50 | $20,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:09 AM EDT | EF1 | Pender, NC | 7.8 | 50 | $150,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:13 AM EDT | EF1 | Pender, NC | 2.8 | 50 | $100,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:19 AM EDT | EF1 | Pender, NC | 2.8 | 30 | $25,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:24 AM EDT | EF0 | Pender, NC | 1.5 | 30 | $2,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:32 AM EDT | EF0 | Brunswick, NC | 0.1 | 15 | $8,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:36 AM EDT | EF0 | Brunswick, NC | 0.4 | 15 | $15,000 | ||
| April 13 | 9:36 AM EDT | EF1 | Onslow, NC | 5.5 | 640 | |||
| April 13 | 10:01 AM EDT | EF0 | Jones, NC | 0.7 | 75 |
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.