Mother's Day Tornado Outbreak in Georgia - May 11, 2008

Mother's Day Tornado Outbreak in Georgia - Damage Photos
May 11, 2008

Montgomery, Toombs, and Treutlen Counties

Mother's Day 2008 will be remembered by many in Georgia as a day of fury by Mother Nature. Severe thunderstorms plowed through portions of North and Central Georgia during the morning hours of May 11, 2008 resulting in damaging wind, large hail and several tornadoes. At least one person was killed by a tornado and several were injured. The damage was so extensive in some areas that Governor Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in six Georgia counties, and some schools were closed for a couple of days.

in Treutlen and Montgomery Counties...

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.

in Toombs County...

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.

also in Toombs County...

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 damage report from NWS Charleston S.C. 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.

Samples of Damage Seen During Survey ( click images to enlarge )
Mobile home destroyed by EF2 tornado south of Normantown (Toombs County).	Top floor removed from two-story home by EF3 tornado in rural Montgomery County.
Abandoned residence destroyed by EF2 tornado south of Normantown (Toombs County).	Roof removed from church by EF1 tornado northeast of Lyons (Toombs County).