NWS Damage Surveys for the 05/03/2021 and 05/04/2021 North and Central GA Severe Weather Events... UPDATE #2 - Includes the Fulton County Tornado information Numerous severe thunderstorms developed in the late morning hours of May 3, 2021 across North and Central GA as part of an upper level storm system moving across the southern US. Several tornadoes were reported along with several areas of wind damage which will be added to future updates of this statement. The NWS has completed 2 surveys in Douglas and Fulton Counties with plans to survey damage in Walton and Oglethorpe counties as part of the same day storms from May 3. Additionally, damage from storms early on May 4, 2021 in Banks, Hall and Lumpkin Counties will be examined to determine if straight line winds or a tornado occurred in those locations. Numerous reports of wind damage on Tuesday 5/4 across much of Alabama damage surveys are underway across parts of Alabama as well.
Douglas County Tornado...
Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Wind: 90 mph
Path Length /statute/: 1.5 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 250.0 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Start Date: 05/03/2021
Start Time: 10:00 AM EDT
Start Location: 1 E Bill Arp / Douglas County / GA
Start Lat/Lon: 33.6681 / -84.7821
End Date: 05/03/2021
End Time: 10:03 AM EDT
End Location: 2 WSW Chapel Hill / Douglas County / GA
End Lat/Lon: 33.6717 / -84.7572
Survey Summary:
An EF1 tornado briefly touched down in Douglas County along N.
Summers Circle. The tornado uprooted and snapped a few trees at
the beginning of the track. The tornado intensified as it
crossed Kings HWY snapping and uprooting trees along Plum Crest
Rd, Cherry Dale Dr, Orchard Rd, and Apple Valley Rd. At least
10 homes had trees on them from the NWS survey in this area. The
tornado continued east crossing Apple Way Ct and Yeager Rd
snapping and uprooting trees there as well as along Greenwood Dr
before lifting as it approached Dorset Shoals Road.
Fulton County Tornado...
Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Wind: 110 mph
Path Length /statute/: 5.8 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 400.0 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: unknown - TBD
Start Date: 05/03/2021
Start Time: 10:22 AM EDT
Start Location: 3 WSW Sandtown / Fulton County / GA
Start Lat/Lon: 33.6974 / -84.6206
End Date: 05/03/2021
End Time: 10:34 AM EDT
End Location: 2 SE Six Flags Over Georgia / Fulton
County / GA
End Lat/Lon: 33.7342 / -84.5312
Survey Summary:
A tornado touched down over an industrial area of southwest
Fulton County, just east of the Chattahoochee River. The tornado
intensified rather quickly between Westgate Parkway and
Tradewater Parkway, near Fulton Industrial Blvd. In this area,
several large warehouses sustained mainly roof damage where
covering/shingles were pulled off. One building had a small part
of its northwest-facing metal wall come down. At another
warehouse, made mostly of brick and sheet metal, the southwest-
facing wall collapsed with more than half of its roof ripped off
the foundation. The tornado crossed Fulton Industrial Blvd near
Tradwater Pkwy and Riverside Rd SW, where additional roof and
siding damage was noted to three more large/industrial
warehouses. Based on the damage noted here plus what was seen on
radar, it is estimated with confidence that winds peaked at
around 105-110 MPH (high-end EF1 tornado). The tornado
continued northeast, moving into more residential areas on either
side of Camp Creek Parkway. Numerous trees were snapped or
uprooted along Plummer Road and Reynolds Road SW. Along Boat Rock
Road near Binford Place SW, additional large trees (50+) were
snapped or uprooted. The tornado likely maintained its EF-
1 intensity with peak winds in the 95-105 MPH range through this
area. Structural damage was confined mainly to houses that had
trees fall on them.Before reaching New Hope Road, the tornado
snapped or uprooted more trees within a residential area of
Guilford Forest Estates. Several homes sustained roof and siding
damage, mainly due to falling trees. The tornado continued to
weaken as it approached Cascade Road and New Hope Road, gradually
lifting somewhere just north of Cascade Road SW and just before
Burton Trace. Between New Hope Road and the point where the
tornado appeared to lift, it was noted that just a few larger
tree limbs were snapped.
EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:
EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph
NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS
Storm Data.
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