Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2023
EF1 tornado, Pyles Marsh to (Ssi)Mckinnon Arpt B, Georgia, August 30, 2023
From Pyles Marsh to (Ssi)Mckinnon Arpt B, this EF1 tornado ran 0.3 miles across Glynn County on August 30, 2023, touching down at 8:05 AM EDT 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.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
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
- EF1
- Date
- August 30, 2023
- Touchdown
- 8:05 AM EDT (12:05 UTC)
- Lifted
- 8:07 AM EDT (12:07 UTC)
- On the ground
- 2 minutes
- Path length
- 0.3 miles (0.5 km)
- Path width
- 50 yards (46 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Glynn County
- Touchdown point
- 31.155, -81.407
- Lift-off point
- 31.159, -81.408
- Record number
- 2308300605-01
The damage survey
34 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS JAX, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 94 mph.
- One trunk and several branches down
- Large branch more than 3” diameter and dead large tree
- Large trunk snapped in half and numerous large limbs and power wires down
- 4 big trees knocked town and uprooted. Fence also knocked down.
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
Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning August 30th around 745 AM EDT along the|Florida Big Bend near Keaton Beach as a category 3, with the inner core moving NE across the|Suwannee River Valley. The inner wind core of Idalia gradually weakened through the morning while,|heavily impacting Suwannee and Hamilton counties in NE Florida and Echols county SE Georgia as the|circulation tracked NE. Widespread tree, power line and structure damage occurred across Suwannee|and Hamilton counties, with estimated winds of 80-100 mph based on damage surveys with isolated|pockets of peak wind gusts near major hurricane strength. Outer rainbands on the eastside of Idalia|impacted all of SE Georgia and NE FL through the day, with early morning tornadoes across coastal SE|Georgia and widespread tropical cyclone wind gusts through the day causing tree damage and power|line damage at least somewhere across NE Florida and SE Georgia. Measured gusts during the peak of|the hurricane acorss the local forecast area were 60-80 mph. Flooding rainfall impacted locations in|the direct path of the weakening inner core across the Suwannee River Valley and southeast Georgia,|especially from eastern Hamilton county toward Baxley and Jesup GA. The peak rainfall amounts were|up to 5-8 inches. At least 3 tornadoes occurred in southeast GA as rainbands swept northwestward|ahead of the hurricane.
NWS Survey team found evidence of a weak tornado yesterday in southern Glynn |county. This tornado was spawned by outer rain bands from Hurricane Idalia. |This particular tornado began just south of Highway 17 and crossed the highway |around Fancy Bluff with mostly tree damage and downed powerlines, traversing |the area from southeast to northwest. It then crossed through Emanuel |Church Road with tree limbs downed, then shifted a bit more west-northwest |toward Georgetown and near Bladen where large tree branches were downed. |The tree damage supports damage rating of an EF-0 rating with maximum winds |near 70 mph.
Outer rainbands on the NE side of Hurricane |Idalia spawned isolated tornadoes during the morning hours |across portions of SE Georgia. |||A tornado with peak intensity of EF1 impacted the south and |west sides of the city of Brunswick where trees and some |structures were damaged beginning near Gloucester Street. |The tornado tracked NNW near Newcastle Street, then storm |took more of a NW track near the intersection of Interstate |95 and the New Jesup Highway/US Highway 341. Mainly tree |damage occurred including numerous large limbs and some |large hard wood trees blown down and snapped. There was some |structure damage to mainly outbuildings including sheds |and fences.
Outer rainbands on the NE side of Hurricane Idalia |spawned isolated tornadoes during the morning hours across |portions of SE Georgia. ||A short-lived tornado moved inland across St. Simons Sound and |tracked NNW across the south side of St. Simons Island near |Kings Way where hard wood trees were uprooted. Peak intensity |reach EF1 strength.
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 Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Aug 30, 6:31 AM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 30, 6:31 AM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
631 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
...New AVIATION...
Conditions have started to deteriorate at TAF sites in northeast
Florida as rainbands from Hurricane Idalia pass over the area.
Widespread rain with embedded TSRA will continue throughout most
of the day with persistent MVFR cigs and bouts of IFR or even
brief periods of LIFR conditions with heavier convection. SE winds
will increase to 30G40kt, with direction shifting to SW this
afternoon as Idalia passes well to the west of the TAF sites.
.NEAR TERM...(Through Tonight)...
Issued at 337 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
Major hurricane Idalia now appears to be moving NNE toward the FL
Big Bend region, and will make landfall later this morning, then
track more NE toward Valdosta GA and then toward Jesup GA as the
day progresses. Widespread rain will continue to spread across the
forecast area over the remainder of the night and through the
morning. Anticipating that another tornado watch could come out
before dawn, possibly focused on our eastern counties where we'll
have the best overlap of weak instability and strong low-level
shear, whereas western areas may remain stable due to widespread
rainfall.
Temperatures will be suppressed due to widespread cloudiness and
rainfall. Latest consensus guidance shows high temperatures Today
around 80 across interior parts of ne FL/se GA, with low-mid 80s
possible eastern counties given enough breaks from rain.
Impacts from Idalia will gradually diminish during the evening
with low temperatures expected to be in the lower-mid 70s.
Please note that the ZFP and CWF products will be delayed until
NHC's 5am forecast package is received.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(Thursday through Friday night)
Issued at 337 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
Upper ridging builds over the forecast area during this period.
Latest guidance suggests a N-S gradient of moisture in the wake of
Idalia, with greater coverage of afternoon showers/t-storms across
ne FL and only isolated coverage further N both Thursday and
Friday. Near normal temperatures are expected during this period.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Saturday through Tuesday)
Issued at 337 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
Upper ridge intensifies over the southeastern U.S. during this
period with an onshore flow pattern setting up. Latest consensus
guidance suggests fairly dry conditions across se GA, with low
rain chances each day across ne FL. A gradual warming trend is
expected given the strong upper ridge over the area.
&&
.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1240 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
VFR conditions will continue at TAF sites a few more hours before
we start to see conditions deteriorate from S to N as Hurricane
Idalia starts its pass well W of the area. Widespread rain with
embedded TSRA should spread over the TAF sites during the 08z-12z
period, when we should start to see winds increase with higher
gusts. Latest guidance supports 30ktG40kt wind conditions during
the day, with direction shifting from SE in the morning to SW in
the afternoon.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 337 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
Hurricane Idalia will make landfall across the FL Big Bend Region
this morning, then track across s-ctrl GA later Today. Winds and
seas will increase Today across area waters in response to
Idalia. Winds and seas will gradually decrease late Tonight and
Thursday as Idalia moves away from the area. A northeasterly flow
pattern will set up Friday through the Weekend with high pressure
north of the waters.
Rip Currents: High Risk Today, Moderate Risk Thursday for
NE FL/SE GA.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
Issued at 337 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
A flood watch remains in effect for most of the CWA, with the rain
totals with Hurricane Idalia (3-6+ inches) to occur over southeast
GA and interior northeast FL. Elsewhere, a general 1-3 inches will
be expected except for lesser amounts for the coastal portion of
Duval, St. Johns and Flagler Counties.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG 81 73 88 70 / 100 60 10 10
SSI 88 76 92 75 / 90 70 20 20
JAX 84 74 91 73 / 100 40 40 30
SGJ 88 76 91 75 / 100 40 50 40
GNV 83 74 91 73 / 100 40 60 40
OCF 84 76 91 75 / 100 40 80 60
&&
.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Tropical Storm Warning for FLZ024-033-038-124-125-132-133-137-
138-140-225-232-237-240-325-425.
Flood Watch through this evening for FLZ020-021-023-024-030-031-
035-122-124-136-222-236-340.
Hurricane Warning for FLZ020-021-023-030-031-035-122-136-222-236-
340.
Coastal Flood Advisory until 11 PM EDT this evening for FLZ124-
125-133-138-325.
High Rip Current Risk through this evening for FLZ124-125-133-
138.
GA...Hurricane Watch for GAZ153-154-165-166.
Tropical Storm Warning for GAZ153-154-165-166.
Flood Watch through this evening for GAZ132>136-149-151>154-162-
163-165-166-250-264-350-364.
Hurricane Warning for GAZ132>136-149-151-152-162-163-250-264-350-
364.
High Rip Current Risk through this evening for GAZ154-166.
Storm Surge Watch for GAZ154-166.
AM...Hurricane Watch for AMZ450-470.
Tropical Storm Warning for AMZ450-452-454-470-472-474.
&&In the hours before
Local storm report, Aug 30, 7:50 AM EDT, 15 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
750 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0739 AM Tropical Cyclone 2 S Saint Simons 31.15N 81.38W
08/30/2023 Glynn GA ASOS
43 mph wind gust reported ASOS station KSSI
Brunswick.
&&
ACLocal storm report, Aug 30, 7:56 AM EDT, 9 minutes before
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</html>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
0.1 hours before the tornado, 78 km from the path. August 30, 2023.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 888 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -2 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 1980 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 600 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 44 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 44 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 361 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 421 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.8
- Supercell composite
- 16.2
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.2 K/km
The surface observations
Brunswick/Malcolm (SSI), 2 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 12:05 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.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2023 tornado in GeorgiaEvery tornado in Georgia since 1950Warnings in force in Georgia nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of August 30, 2023
12 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 30 | 7:30 AM EDT | EF0 | Glynn, GA | 9.8 | 50 | |||
| August 30 | 7:40 AM EDT | EF1 | Glynn, GA | 7.9 | 300 | |||
| August 30 | 10:00 AM EDT | EF0 | Liberty, GA | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| August 30 | 12:22 PM EDT | EF0 | Berkeley, SC | 0.0 | 50 | 2 | ||
| August 30 | 2:57 PM EDT | EF1 | Clarendon, SC | 0.7 | 125 | |||
| August 30 | 3:30 PM EDT | EF0 | Charleston, SC | 2.7 | 100 | |||
| August 30 | 4:59 PM EDT | EF1 | Berkeley, SC | 1.9 | 100 | |||
| August 30 | 6:14 PM EDT | EF0 | Brunswick, NC | 0.4 | 20 | |||
| August 30 | 6:45 PM EDT | EF0 | Brunswick, NC | 0.3 | 20 | $50,000 | ||
| August 30 | 7:25 PM EDT | EF1 | Brunswick, NC | 0.3 | 40 | |||
| August 30 | 7:31 PM EDT | EF1 | New Hanover, NC | 1.5 | 30 | |||
| August 30 | 10:12 PM EDT | EF0 | Horry, SC | 1.6 | 30 |
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.