Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2023

EF1 tornado, Kaolin to Silas, Georgia, January 4, 2023

Name: EF1 tornado, Kaolin to Silas, Georgia, January 4, 2023
Start: 2023-01-04T13:48:00.000Z
End: 2023-01-04T13:53:00.000Z
Location: Kaolin to Silas, Georgia

From Kaolin to Silas, this EF1 tornado ran 3.8 miles across Washington County on January 4, 2023, touching down at 8:48 AM EST and reaching 400 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 1.

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: January 4, 2023
Touchdown: 8:48 AM EST (13:48 UTC)
Lifted: 8:53 AM EST (13:53 UTC)
On the ground: 5 minutes
Path length: 3.8 miles (6.1 km)
Path width: 400 yards (366 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
County: Washington County
Touchdown point: 32.997, -82.845
Lift-off point: 33.008, -82.781
Record number: 2301040748-01

The damage survey

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

1-2 dozen trees snapped or uprooted
About a dozen softwood uprooted on north side of hwy
80 percent of softwood pines blown down in stand, several softwood trees snapped upwind
Awning blown up and over doublewide trailer

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 strong developing system over brought moist southerly winds across the north and central Georgia, creating isolated severe thunderstorms and flash flooding on the afternoon and evening of January 3rd. The severe weather threat continued into Wednesday, January 4th, as the storm progressed eastward and brought a cold front across the area, producing isolated damaging wind gusts.

The tornado caused hundreds of trees to be blown down or snapped along and just north of Fall Line Fwy on the northern side of Sandersville. The tornado touched down just to the east of the Oconee Fall Line Technical College and traversed just north of the school, downing dozens of trees before crossing Deepstep Rd, just north of Fall Line Fwy, and damaging a metal warehouse building with portions of the roof being pulled back while blowing out sliding metal doors, breaking windows, and damaging cars in the parking lot. On the west side of the building a tractor-trailer was flipped with the driver sustaining minor injuries. The tornado continued NNE up the Freeway, narrowly missing the T J Elder Middle School, but snapping or blowing down nearly 80 percent of the trees. The storm then continued NNE, crossing Sparta road and moving into neighborhoods near and along Walden Rd where several dozen trees were blown in estimated 90 mph winds. Several homes received minor damage, a shed was destroyed by a downed tree, and a second story bedroom in one home was destroyed in part to a downed tree. The tornado then dissipated quickly thereafter along Ridge road.

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 Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Jan 4, 6:40 AM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 4, 6:40 AM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
640 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

...New 12Z Aviation Discussion...

.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Thursday)
Issued at 408 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

A tornado watch has been issued to start off the morning for a line
south of the I-20 corridor. The south and central regions of the CWA
are still seeing temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s at the
time of this AFD. Any additional heating before the front arrives
will continue to prime the environment for another round of strong
to severe storms south I-20.

The primary threats in this morning's watch area will be damaging
winds and the possibility of isolated tornadoes. Moderate SBCAPE
values of 1500 J/KG and effective bulk shear exceeding 60kts. Any
storm that forms in this sector will also be working with SRH values
near 400 m2/s2 so rotation and mesocyclones can be expected even
with non tornado producing storms. We've already seen embedded
supercells in the line as it approaches, and conditions are
favorable for the formation of discrete supercells out ahead of the
line. The situation continue to evolve and remain complex, please
continue to monitor the forecast for the most up to date information
concerning on going watches and warnings.

A flood watch will remain in effect until Wednesday night, and
additional rainfall of up to two inches are possible with isolated
higher totals in areas of training storms. While no additional
counties have been added during this mornings forecast period, heavy
rain continues to fall just north of the metro ATL area and training
storms just north of I-20 will need to be watched closely for flash
flooding as more rain continues to fall.

The front should clear the area after 7PM today and and cooler
temperatures and clear weather will eventually push in for Thursday.
Temps in the mid to upper 60s will be likely for tomorrow as winds
turn more westerly, but we still remain around 10 degrees above
average; a trend that will likely continue through the long term.

Vaughn

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Thursday night through Tuesday)
Issued at 408 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

A comparatively cooler and drier airmass will be in place across
north and central Georgia as the extended period begins on Friday.
An upper level ridge and associated surface high will move over the
Southeast on Friday, which will keep weather conditions benign and
skies mostly clear across the region on Friday and Saturday. Low
temperatures are forecast to drop into the 30s across the forecast
area as the morning begins. Afternoon highs will still be 3-6
degrees above climatological normals, but no longer pushing record
values, rising into the mid 50s in north Georgia and upper 50s to
low 60s in central Georgia. After starting the morning in the mid
30s across the area on Saturday, temperatures will climb under the
influence of the ridge, reaching into the low to mid 60s across the
area in the afternoon.

A weak frontal system will drop into north Georgia on Saturday night
into Sunday. However, low-level moisture and instability continue to
appear limited across the area, so a slight chance of showers with
no thunderstorms has been maintained across north Georgia for
Saturday night into Sunday. The frontal boundary is anticipated to
sag into north Georgia before stalling and washing out early Monday.
Model guidance continues to diverge on the upper level flow pattern
during the early portions of next week. The potential remains for
additional waves to traverse the remnant boundary, so slight to low-
end chance PoPs have been maintained on Monday and Tuesday. The
potential for a wintry mix in the higher elevations of northeast
Georgia will need to be monitored at the tail-end of the period, as
there is a slight chance that precip overrunning the frontal zone
may overlap with border-line freezing temperatures in this area
Monday night into Tuesday morning.

King

&&

.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 639 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

The strongest TSRA has cleared ATL and continues to move East. TSRA
is still possible with gusty winds until 16Z today. Some lingering
RA will begin to dissipate after 18Z as WX clears the area. Some
gusts in remaining TSRA could be up to 20kts with IFR cigs in
convection and MVFR outside. CIGS should become VFR after 18Z.

//ATL Confidence...Avi Update...

Medium on WX timing end.
Medium to high on all other elements.

Vaughn

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          44  65  38  55 /   0   0   0   0
Atlanta         48  63  37  54 /   0   0   0   0
Blairsville     39  57  32  49 /   0   0   0   0
Cartersville    42  61  34  54 /   0   0   0   0
Columbus        47  67  38  60 /   0   0   0   0
Gainesville     45  60  37  53 /   0   0   0   0
Macon           44  70  39  61 /   0   0   0   0
Rome            42  61  34  55 /   0   0   0   0
Peachtree City  43  64  36  56 /   0   0   0   0
Vidalia         54  74  42  61 /  20   0   0   0

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Flood Watch through this evening for GAZ008-009-013>016-021>025-
027-031>038-041>050-052>060-066>072-078>082-089>092-094-102-103.

&&

SHORT TERM...Vaughn
LONG TERM....King
AVIATION...Vaughn

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 4, 4:46 AM EST, 4 hours 2 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
446 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113-051000-
Baldwin-Banks-Barrow-Bartow-Bibb-Bleckley-Butts-Carroll-Catoosa-
Chattahoochee-Chattooga-Cherokee-Clarke-Clayton-Cobb-Coweta-
Crawford-Crisp-Dade-Dawson-DeKalb-Dodge-Dooly-Douglas-Emanuel-
Fannin-Fayette-Floyd-Forsyth-Gilmer-Glascock-Gordon-Greene-
Gwinnett-Hall-Hancock-Haralson-Harris-Heard-Henry-Houston-Jackson-
Jasper-Jefferson-Johnson-Jones-Lamar-Laurens-Lumpkin-Macon-
Madison-Marion-Meriwether-Monroe-Montgomery-Morgan-Murray-
Muscogee-Newton-North Fulton-Oconee-Oglethorpe-Paulding-Peach-
Pickens-Pike-Polk-Pulaski-Putnam-Rockdale-Schley-South Fulton-
Spalding-Stewart-Sumter-Talbot-Taliaferro-Taylor-Telfair-Toombs-
Towns-Treutlen-Troup-Twiggs-Union-Upson-Walker-Walton-Warren-
Washington-Webster-Wheeler-White-Whitfield-Wilcox-Wilkes-
Wilkinson-
446 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and
Central Georgia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight...

Showers and thunderstorms will continue across north and central
Georgia this morning morning and afternoon ahead of an advancing
cold front. Several storms could become severe capable of
producing damaging wind gusts, brief tornadoes, and frequent
lightning. A Tornado Watch is in effect for areas to the south of
the I-20 corridor until 12 PM EST.

Locally heavy rainfall this morning and afternoon could lead to
flash flooding and river flooding concerns. A Flood Watch remains
in effect for portions of north and central Georgia until 7 PM
EST.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday...

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not requested but spotters are encouraged
to submit reports of severe weather through the web by going to
weather.gov/atlanta.  Please relay any information about observed
severe weather to the NWS while following all local, state, and
CDC guidelines.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 4, 7:47 AM EST, 1 hour 1 minute before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
747 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

GAZ061-072-073-083-084-095-041315-
Wilkinson GA-Hancock GA-Baldwin GA-Houston GA-Jones GA-Twiggs GA-
747 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Baldwin, northwestern
Wilkinson, Twiggs, south central Hancock, northeastern Houston and
southeastern Jones Counties through 815 AM EST...

At 747 AM EST, a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from Pancras to Warner Robins, and moving northeast at 50
mph.

HAZARD...40 to 50 mph wind, frequent cloud to ground lightning and
         heavy rain.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
         light, unsecured objects. Heavy rain may cause temporary
         street flooding especially in poor drainage areas.

Locations impacted include...
Milledgeville, Jeffersonville, Warner Robins, Gordon, Ivey, McIntyre,
Robins AFB, Midway-Hardwick, Marion, Beulah, Robins Air Force Base,
Allenwood, Mountain Springs, District Path, Hardwick, Coopers,
Underwood, Bullard, Linton and Fitzpatrick.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until noon EST for central and east
central Georgia.

&&

LAT...LON 3309 8299 3308 8305 3302 8307 3300 8305
      3257 8339 3256 8368 3267 8360 3267 8361
      3277 8354 3281 8349 3283 8350 3305 8336
      3327 8295 3318 8291
TIME...MOT...LOC 1247Z 235DEG 42KT 3301 8329 3259 8365

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

Local storm report, Jan 4, 7:58 AM EST, 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
758 AM EST WED JAN 4 2023

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

0720 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 E SALEM               32.75N 84.16W
01/04/2023                   CRAWFORD           GA   BROADCAST MEDIA

            REPORT OF TREES DOWN NEAR US 80 AND PLEASANT
            HILL CHURCH RD EAST OF SALEM, GA.

&&

Special weather statement, Jan 4, 8:00 AM EST, 48 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
800 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

GAZ083-095-096-104>107-041330-
Crisp GA-Dooly GA-Sumter GA-Houston GA-Bleckley GA-Twiggs GA-
Pulaski GA-
800 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of western Pulaski,
southern Twiggs, Dooly, western Bleckley, Houston, eastern Sumter and
western Crisp Counties through 830 AM EST...

At 759 AM EST, a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from near Houston Lake to near Smithville, and moving east
at 50 mph.

HAZARD...Up to 40 mph wind, frequent cloud to ground lightning and
         heavy rain.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
         light, unsecured objects. Heavy rain may cause temporary
         street flooding especially in poor drainage areas.

Locations impacted include...
Perry, Cordele, Hawkinsville, Vienna, Warner Robins, Unadilla,
Byromville, Pinehurst, Leslie, Lilly, De Soto, Dooling, Desoto, Cobb,
Sumter, Lamar, Hayneville, Houston Lake, Mock Springs and Drayton.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until noon EST for central and west
central Georgia.

&&

LAT...LON 3185 8394 3191 8392 3192 8428 3218 8406
      3217 8403 3225 8396 3229 8390 3229 8385
      3244 8385 3246 8383 3244 8383 3245 8380
      3251 8379 3251 8375 3253 8375 3252 8372
      3256 8372 3257 8323 3182 8384
TIME...MOT...LOC 1259Z 262DEG 45KT 3253 8368 3191 8422

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

Local storm report, Jan 4, 8:11 AM EST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
811 AM EST WED JAN 4 2023

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

0517 AM     TSTM WND GST     1 S CHAMBLEE            33.88N 84.30W
01/04/2023  M75 MPH          DEKALB             GA   ASOS

            ASOS STATION KPDK PEACHTREE DEKALB; REPORTS
            OF PLANES THAT WERE TIED DOWN PUSHED
            SIDEWAYS BY THE STRONG WINDS.

&&

Special weather statement, Jan 4, 8:16 AM EST, 32 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
816 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

GAZ051-061-062-073>075-083-084-097-041345-
Taliaferro GA-Wilkinson GA-Washington GA-Hancock GA-Baldwin GA-
Glascock GA-Warren GA-Laurens GA-Twiggs GA-
816 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of eastern Baldwin,
northwestern Laurens, Wilkinson, Warren, central Twiggs, Hancock,
Glascock, Washington and Taliaferro Counties through 845 AM EST...

At 816 AM EST, a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from Alexander Stephens Park to 6 miles south of Beulah to
near Bonaire, and moving east at 50 mph.

HAZARD...Up to 40 mph wind, frequent cloud to ground lightning and
         heavy rain.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
         light, unsecured objects. Heavy rain may cause temporary
         street flooding especially in poor drainage areas.

Locations impacted include...
Milledgeville, Sandersville, Warrenton, Sparta, Jeffersonville,
Gibson, Irwinton, Crawfordville, Gordon, Tennille, Ivey, McIntyre,
Toomsboro, White Plains, Oconee, Norwood, Danville, Mitchell,
Allentown and Sharon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until noon EST for central and east
central Georgia.

&&

LAT...LON 3312 8261 3312 8266 3303 8265 3279 8286
      3276 8295 3271 8293 3256 8306 3258 8323
      3256 8355 3261 8355 3306 8325 3344 8306
      3349 8298 3355 8300 3366 8294 3362 8288
      3365 8281 3361 8275 3361 8265 3335 8252
TIME...MOT...LOC 1316Z 269DEG 46KT 3359 8289 3305 8308 3257 8353

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

Special weather statement, Jan 4, 8:32 AM EST, 16 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
832 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

GAZ096-097-105>109-041400-
Crisp GA-Dooly GA-Wilcox GA-Laurens GA-Bleckley GA-Dodge GA-
Pulaski GA-
832 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of west central Laurens,
northwestern Dodge, Pulaski, Wilcox, southeastern Dooly, Bleckley and
Crisp Counties through 900 AM EST...

At 832 AM EST, a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line
extending from near District Path to near Tippettville to Fort Early,
and moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Up to 40 mph wind, frequent cloud to ground lightning and
         heavy rain.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
         light, unsecured objects. Heavy rain may cause temporary
         street flooding especially in poor drainage areas.

Locations impacted include...
Cordele, Cochran, Eastman, Hawkinsville, Chester, Rochelle, Arabi,
Dexter, Dudley, Pineview, Pitts, Montrose, Union, Dubois, Empire,
Mobley Crossing, Mock Springs, Roddy, Baileys Park and Rowland.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists
should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to
hydroplaning.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until noon EST for central Georgia.

&&

LAT...LON 3183 8384 3182 8385 3184 8386 3185 8394
      3189 8393 3206 8371 3239 8352 3241 8348
      3246 8348 3257 8326 3256 8300 3212 8318
      3185 8354 3185 8361 3180 8361 3180 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 1332Z 263DEG 37KT 3257 8335 3207 8364 3186 8392

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

The surface observations

Sandersville (OKZ), 5 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 Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 13:48 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 track Every 2023 tornado in Georgia Every tornado in Georgia since 1950 Warnings in force in Georgia now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of January 4, 2023

16 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
January 4	2:59 AM CST	EF1	Tallapoosa, AL	3.8	125
January 4	3:00 AM CST	EF1	Montgomery, AL	1.9	130	1
January 4	3:23 AM CST	EF0	Macon, AL	0.7	75
January 4	5:02 AM EST	EF1	Heard, GA	2.5	100
January 4	4:07 AM CST	EF0	Macon, AL	1.1	100
January 4	9:12 AM EST	EF0	Jefferson, GA	5.2	500
January 4	10:27 AM EST	EF0	Aiken, SC	3.5	75
January 4	10:30 AM EST	EF0	Lexington, SC	1.4	50
January 4	10:40 AM EST	EF1	Lexington, SC	6.6	50
January 4	10:42 AM EST	EF0	Lexington, SC	4.6	50
January 4	11:02 AM EST	EF0	Calhoun, SC	0.1	25
January 4	12:35 PM EST	EF0	Clinch, GA	0.6	300
January 4	1:09 PM EST	EF1	Pierce, GA	3.2	200
January 4	1:40 PM EST	EF0	Charlton, GA	0.2	50
January 4	2:39 PM EST	EF0	Southampton, VA	2.2	50		$50,000
January 4	2:49 PM EST	EF1	Beaufort, NC	0.3	125

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.