Public Information Statement For Storms Occurring May 11, 2008

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
900 PM EDT TUE MAY 13 2008

...REPORT ON THE NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA MOTHERS DAY TORNADO
OUTBREAK...

DAMAGE SURVEY TEAMS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
PEACHTREE CITY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT 15 TORNADOES AFFECTED WEST
CENTRAL...NORTH CENTRAL...AND CENTRAL GEORGIA EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
ON MAY 11 2008.

THE TORNADOES LISTED BELOW ARE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.


TORNADOES NO. 1 AND 2 (BOTH RATED EF2):
CARROLL COUNTY/408 AM AND 425 AM EDT...
/DOUGLAS AND FULTON COUNTIES AFFECTED BY VERY STRONG STRAIGHT-LINE
WINDS/

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE OCCURRED ALONG 25-MILE LONG AND 3 MILE WIDE PATH
OF DAMAGE....PRIMARILY DUE TO STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS.

TWO BRIEF EF2 TORNADOES OCCURRED IN CARROLL COUNTY ALONG THIS PATH
OF DAMAGE. THE FIRST EF2 TORNADO OCCURRED AT 408 AM IN THE COMMUNITY
OF JONESVILLE APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES EAST OF WHERE THE STRAIGHT-
LINE WIND DAMAGE COMMENCED. THE ROOFS WERE COMPLETELY BLOWN OFF TWO
HOMES AND NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWN IN THE AREA. THE SECOND EF2
TORNADO OCCURRED AT 425 AM NEAR DIAMOND COURT SUBDIVISION...OFF
CROSS PLAINS HULETT ROAD WHERE TWO HOMES RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT
DAMAGE...ONE COMPLETELY DESTROYED...AND A NUMBER OF HOMES WITH MINOR
TO MODERATE ROOF DAMAGE. THE PATH LENGTH AND WIDTH OF BOTH TORNADOES
WERE 100 YARDS AND WERE ON THE GROUND AROUND 1 TO 2 MINUTES.

OUTSIDE THE TWO EF2 TORNADOES...WIDESPREAD TREE AND ROOF DAMAGE FROM
STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS WAS NOTED ALL ALONG GEORGIA HIGHWAY 166 FROM
WEST OF CARROLLTON...NEAR BOWDEN...EASTWARD TO WESTERN DOUGLAS
COUNTY NEAR FAIRPLAY. THE CARROLLTON COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES
FACILITY SUSTAINED MODERATE DAMAGE. DAMAGE CONTINUED EASTWARD ALONG
GEORGIA HIGHWAY 166 TOWARD THE DOUGLAS COUNTY LINE...MAINLY IN THE
FORM OF DOWNED TREES AND MINOR ROOF DAMAGE ALL ALONG THE PATH. AT
VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG THIS PATH...DAMAGE EXTENDED UP TO THREE
MILES TO THE SOUTH...BUT THIS WAS DETERMINED TO BE STRAIGHT-LINE
WIND DAMAGE.

THE DAMAGE FROM THIS TORNADIC AND STRAIGHT-LINE WIND EVENT EXTENDED
INTO SOUTH FULTON COUNTY WHERE TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED JUST NORTH OF
FAIRBURN...ALONG SOUTH RIVER ROAD IN DOUGLASVILLE AND ALONG HIGHWAY
92 IN THE CHESTNUT RIDGE SUBDIVISION. THE DAMAGE WAS CONCLUDED TO
HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY STRAIGHT LINE WINDS IN SOUTH FULTON COUNTY.


TORNADO NO. 3 (RATED EF2):
TROUP COUNTY/408 AM EDT...

AN EF2 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AROUND 410 AM JUST OFF OF HIGHWAY 29 AT
WILLOWWOOD RD WHICH IS ABOUT 5.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF LA GRANGE. THE
PATH LENGTH WAS ABOUT 1 MILE LONG AND THE PATH WIDTH 150 YARDS WIDE.
THE TORNADO DAMAGED 3 HOMES...DESTROYED A WELL HOUSE AND SNAPPED
NUMEROUS LARGE TREE TRUNKS AND LIMBS ALONG ITS PATH.


TORNADO NO. 4 (RATED EF2):
TROUP AND MERIWETHER COUNTIES/420 AM EDT...

AN EF2 TORNADO INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN AROUND 420 AM NEAR THE 1100
BLOCK OF PERKINS ROAD IN NORTHEAST TROUP COUNTY...WHICH IS ABOUT 4.5
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF HOGANSVILLE. THE TORNADO TRACKED EAST
NORTHEAST INTO MERIWETHER COUNTY. AT PERKINS ROAD A HOUSE WAS
DAMAGED AND TWO TRUCKS DESTROYED AS THEY WERE LIFTED UP AND TOSSED
ABOUT 40 TO 60 FEET. AT PERKINS ROAD AND DUCHESNE LANE NEAR THE
TROUP AND MERIWETHER COUNTY LINE...THE TORNADO COMPLETELY LIFTED THE
ROOF OFF A BRICK HOME AND PARTIALLY DESTROYED A CINDER BLOCK
OUTBUILDING. ALONG THE DAMAGE PATH IN MERIWETHER COUNTY...NUMEROUS
TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED AND ONE SHED WAS DESTROYED. THE
TORNADO LIFTED ALONG SAINT MARKS ROAD ABOUT 9.25 MILES NORTHWEST OF
GREENVILLE. THE TOTAL PATH LENGTH WAS ABOUT 4 MILES LONG AND THE
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH WAS 300 YARDS WIDE.


TORNADO NO. 5 (RATED EF2):
CLAYTON...HENRY...ROCKDALE AND NEWTON COUNTIES/517 AM EDT...

AN EF2 TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS UP TO 130 MPH TOUCHED DOWN IN
EXTREME NORTHEAST CLAYTON COUNTY NEAR THE HENRY COUNTY LINE JUST
EAST OF INTERSTATE 675 AROUND 517 AM. SHORTLY AFTER...THE TORNADO
CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OVER A 2.5 SQUARE MILE AREA IN THE
ELLENWOOD COMMUNITY. 188 PRIVATE DWELLINGS WERE DAMAGED...53 OF
WHICH WERE DESTROYED OR UNINHABITABLE. 500 RESIDENTS WERE DISPLACED.
THE TORNADO WEAKENED AS CONTINUED INTO HENRY COUNTY AND ROCKDALE
COUNTY INTERMITTENTLY DOWNING TREES AND POWER LINES BEFORE LIFTING
IN EXTREME WESTERN NEWTON COUNTY NEAR GEORGIA HIGHWAY 20. PATH
LENGTH WAS 19 MILES AND THE MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 100 YARDS WIDE.


TORNADO NO. 6 (RATED EF2):
BIBB AND TWIGGS COUNTIES/550 AM EDT...

AN EF2 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR LIZELLA. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED
NORTHEAST TO THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE TOBESOFKEE THEN CONTINUED INTO
MACON AND LIFTED NEAR DRY BRANCH NEAR THE TWIGGS COUNTY LINE. THE
TORNADO DID NOT PRODUCE A CONTINUOUS PATH...BUT DID PRODUCE SPORADIC
AREAS OF MAJOR DAMAGE. WIDESPREAD STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE WAS ALSO
PRODUCED ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE TRACK OF THE TORNADO. THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS IN THE CITY OF MACON ESPECIALLY ALONG
EISENHOWER PARKWAY AN PIO NONO AVENUE WHERE 2 BUSINESSES WERE
DESTROYED AND SEVERAL OTHERS SUSTAINING HEAVY DAMAGE. MACON STATE
COLLEGE WAS ALSO HIT BY THE TORNADO...SNAPPING OR UPROOTING 50
PERCENT OR MORE OF THE TREES AND DOING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO SEVERAL
BUILDINGS ON CAMPUS WITH THE GYMNASIUM SUSTAINING THE WORST DAMAGE.
THIS TORNADO VARIED IN INTENSITY FROM EF0 TO EF2 WITH THE EF2 DAMAGE
AND WINDS UP TO 130 MPH OCCURRING NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF
EISENHOWER PARKWAY AND PIO NONO AVENUE. TOTAL PATH LENGTH WAS 18
MILES WITH A PATH LENGTH OF 100 YARDS.


TORNADO NO. 7 (RATED EF1):
TWIGGS AND WILKINSON COUNTIES/615 AM EDT...

THE STORM WHICH PRODUCED THE BIBB AND TWIGGS COUNTY TORNADO SPAWNED
ANOTHER EF1 TORNADO WITH WINDS UP TO 90 MPH. THE TORNADO TOUCHED
DOWN CLOSE TO FITZGERALD NEAR US HIGHWAY 80 AND WEST OF MYRICKS MILL
RD WHERE A CHURCH HAD MOST OF ITS ROOF BLOWN OFF. IT CONTINUED EAST
INTO WESTERN WILKINSON COUNTY PARALLELING GA HIGHWAY 96 NEAR US HWY
441. A MOBILE HOME WAS DAMAGED AT BEAVER DAM ROAD. THE TORNADO
LIFTED EAST OF LONG BRANCH RD 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOOMSBORO. THE
TOTAL PATH LENGTH 25 MILES AND MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 100 YARDS.
ADDITIONAL STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH PRODUCED MINOR DAMAGE
ALONG AND UP TO 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE TORNADO TRACK.


TORNADO NO. 8 (RATED EF2):
LAURENS COUNTY/636 AM EDT...

*** TWO DEATHS...TWO INJURIES ***

THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF OLD MACON ROAD AND
OSCAR WYNN ROAD WITH AN INITIAL INTENSITY OF EF0. THE TORNADO
CONTINUED ON AN ALMOST DUE EASTWARD TRACK AND STRENGTHENED TO EF2
INTENSITY AS IT CROSSED U.S. HIGHWAY 441 IN THE 2700 BLOCK...ABOUT
SEVEN MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBLIN...NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF EVERGREEN
ROAD AND U.S. HIGHWAY 441. A DOUBLE-WIDE MOBILE HOME WAS DESTROYED
AT 2731 U.S. HIGHWAY 441...WHERE A MALE IN HIS EARLY 50S WAS KILLED
ALONG WITH HIS WIFE. THEIR TWO GRANDCHILDREN
SUSTAINED NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. ANOTHER HOME WAS DAMAGED
ALONG EVERGREEN ROAD AS THE TORNADO CONTINUED AT EF2 INTENSITY.
SPORADIC DAMAGE TO TREES CONTINUED FURTHER EASTWARD...BUT THE
TORNADO WEAKENED TO AN EF0 AS IT CROSSED THE OCONEE RIVER. THE
TORNADO ONCE AGAIN STRENGTHENED TO AN EF2 AS IT CROSSED BUCKEYE ROAD
IN THE 2100 BLOCK...AND THEN WEAKENED TO AN EF1 AS IT CROSSED NEW
BUCKEYE ROAD IN THE 1500 BLOCK.  EF2 DAMAGE TO A HOME WAS OBSERVED
AT 2185 BUCKEYE ROAD...AND EF1 DAMAGE TO ANOTHER HOME AT 1533
BUCKEYE ROAD. THE MAJORITY OF THE TORNADO PATH WAS RANKED AS EF0
TORNADO DAMAGE. THE TOTAL PATH LENGTH OF THE TORNADO WAS
APPROXIMATELY NINE MILES...WITH A MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 250 YARDS AS
IT CROSSED U.S. 441 NEAR EVERGREEN ROAD.

ALL TOGETHER...THERE WERE TWO MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED...SIX OTHER
HOMES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE...SOME SHIFTED OFF THEIR FOUNDATIONS...AT
LEAST ONE WITH ITS ROOF MISSING...AND MANY WITH MINOR ROOF OR SIDING
DAMAGE.  NUMEROUS SHEDS AND OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. MANY TREES
WERE EITHER UPROOTED OR SNAPPED OFF ALONG THE PATH OF THE TORNADO.
IN ADDITION...WIDESPREAD NON-TORNADIC WIND DAMAGE WAS REPORTED
THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE COUNTY...PRIMARILY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE
TRACK OF THE TORNADO...ALL THE WAY FROM THE TWIGGS COUNTY LINE ON
THE WEST SIDE TO THE JOHNSON COUNTY LINE ON THE EAST SIDE.


TORNADO NO. 9 (RATED EF1)
LAURENS AND JOHNSON COUNTIES/644 AM EDT...

AN EF1 TORNADO DEVELOPED IN EXTREME NORTHERN LAURENS COUNTY...1 MILE
WEST OF TUCKERS CROSSROADS...OR ABOUT 9 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF
WRIGHTSVILLE AT 644 AM EDT. NEAR TUCKERS CROSSROADS...THE TORNADO
DESTROYED ONE MOBILE HOME...PUSHED A MANUFACTURED HOME OFF ITS
FOUNDATION...AND MOVED A TRUCK 30 FEET. THE TORNADO DOWNED NUMEROUS
TREES AND DAMAGED SEVERAL HOMES IN THE WRIGHTSVILLE AREA BEFORE
LIFTING APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE NORTHEAST OF WRIGHTSVILLE IN JOHNSON
COUNTY AT 654 AM EDT. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 10 MILES AND WAS UP TO 1/3
OF A MILE WIDE.


TORNADO NO. 10 (RATED EF0)
WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES/645 AM EDT...

AN EF0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR GEORGIA HIGHWAY 15 AND MAYVIEW ROAD
TRACKING EAST FOR APPROXIMATELY 33 MILES THROUGH JEFFERSON COUNTY
AND INTO BURKE COUNTY BEFORE LIFTING AT 722 AM. MANY STRUCTURES WERE
DAMAGED BUT MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS MINOR. MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH WAS 1/4
MILE. ADDITIONAL STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ESTIMATED AT 60 TO 70 MPH
CAUSED DAMAGE ALONG A 1 TO 2 MILE WIDE SOUTH OF THE TORNADO...
CAUSING MODERATE DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES IN LOUISVILLE...NORTH OF
SANDERSVILLE AND NORTH PARTS OF DAVISBORO.


TORNADO NO. 11 (RATED EF1)
LAURENS COUNTY/700 AM EDT...

THIS TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1 MILE NORTH OF LOWERY IN SOUTHEAST
LAURENS COUNTY. ONE MOBILE HOME WAS DESTROYED AND NUMEROUS TREES
WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS ABOUT 0.5 MILES LONG
AND MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 200 YARDS WIDE.


TORNADO NO. 12 (RATED EF2)
JOHNSON AND EMANUEL COUNTIES/701 AM EDT...

AN EF2 TORNADO FORMED 1 MILE NORTHWEST OF KITE AT 701 AM EDT...
ROLLING A MOBILE HOME AND DAMAGING OTHER HOMES AND CARS ALONG US
HIGHWAY 221 NORTH OF KITE. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED
ALONG MINTON CHAPEL ROAD...3 MILES NORTH OF KITE WHERE A MOBILE HOME
WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND ITS DEBRIS THROWN UP TO 50 FEET. A
METAL BUILDING IN THE SAME AREA HAD SUBSTANTIAL WALL...FRAME...AND
COLUMN ANCHOR FAILURES. THE TORNADO LIFTED 1 MILE WEST OF BLUNDALE
IN EMANUEL COUNTY JUST NORTH OF CORDIE RD AT 709 AM EDT. THE TORNADO
WAS RATED EF2 WITH ESTIMATED WINDS OF 130 MPH...A MAXIMUM WIDTH 1/2
MILE...AND A TOTAL PATH LENGTH OF 8 MILES.

IN ADDITION... STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ESTIMATED UP TO 90 MPH OCCURRED
ALONG AND UP TO 2 MILES SOUTH OF THE TORNADO TRACK PRODUCING
WIDESPREAD TREE AND PRIMARILY MINOR STRUCTURE DAMAGE. A GYMNASIUM IN
KITE DID SUSTAIN MASONRY WALL AND ROOF DAMAGE. SEVERAL OTHER
STRUCTURES AND NUMEROUS TREES WERE ALSO DAMAGED IN THE TOWN.


TORNADO NO. 13 (RATED EF3)
TREUTLEN AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES/711 AM EDT...

AN EF3 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF
SOPERTON AND TRACKED 7 MILES INTO EXTREME NORTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY
COUNTY. ONE TWO STORY HOUSE HAD THE SECOND FLOOR COMPLETELY REMOVED.
THE TORNADO ALSO DESTROYED NUMEROUS SHEDS AND OUTBUILDINGS ALONG ITS
PATH. THE MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH WAS 150 YARDS WIDE.


TORNADO NO. 14 (RATED EF2):
TOOMBS COUNTY/720 AM EDT...

AN EF2 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AROUND 3 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF
NORMANTOWN IN EXTREME NORTHWEST TOOMBS COUNTY. THE PATH LENGTH WAS
ABOUT ONE MILE LONG AND THE MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH WAS 150 YARDS WIDE.
IN THE NORMANTOWN AREA...ABOUT FOUR MILES NORTH OF VIDALIA...DAMAGE
INCLUDED THREE MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED...ONE BRICK HOUSE HAD MAJOR
DAMAGE...AND NUMEROUS SHEDS AND OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. IT ALSO
TURNED OVER A TRACTOR- TAILER RIG AND KNOCKED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 200
TO 300 PINE TREES. THERE WERE THREE MINOR INJURIES AND SEVEN
FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES.


TORNADO NO. 15 (RATED EF1):
TOOMBS COUNTY/735 AM EDT...

THE STORM WHICH PRODUCED THE TORNADO SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NORMANTOWN
PRODUCED ANOTHER TORNADO...RATED EF1...ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF
LYONS IN NORTHEAST TOOMBS COUNTY. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OR
UPROOTED ALONG THE PATH. THIS TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST THEN CURVED TO
AN EAST DIRECTION BEFORE MOVING INTO TATTNALL COUNTY. /PLEASE REFER
TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT REPORT ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TATTNALL
COUNTY TORNADO./ THE TOTAL PATH LENGTH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDING THE
PORTION IN TATTNALL COUNTY WAS 7 MILES. THE PATH LENGTH IN TOOMBS
COUNTY WAS 2.5 MILES AND THE MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH WAS 100 YARDS WIDE.


MINOR CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS MAY BE REQUIRED TO THIS REPORT AS NEW
INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION...PLEASE CONTACT
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 770 486 1133 OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE
AT WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.