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Ben Hill County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes

 
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The chance of earthquake damage in Ben Hill County is about the same as Georgia average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Ben Hill County is much lower than Georgia average and is much lower than the national average.

Topics:Earthquake IndexVolcano IndexTornado IndexOther Weather Extremes EventsVolcanos NearbyHistorical Earthquake EventsHistorical Tornado Events

Earthquake Index, #120

Ben Hill County
0.00
Georgia
0.08
U.S.
1.81

The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.

Volcano Index, #1

Ben Hill County
0.0000
Georgia
0.0000
U.S.
0.0023

The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.

Tornado Index, #120

Ben Hill County
0.00
Georgia
179.92
U.S.
136.45

The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.

Other Weather Extremes Events

A total of 8,090 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Ben Hill County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:

TypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCount
Avalanche:0Blizzard:0Cold:29Dense Fog:47Drought:47
Dust Storm:0Flood:342Hail:1,990Heat:16Heavy Snow:35
High Surf:0Hurricane:18Ice Storm:13Landslide:0Strong Wind:57
Thunderstorm Winds:4,974Tropical Storm:30Wildfire:10Winter Storm:10Winter Weather:44
Other:428 

Volcanos Nearby

No volcano is found in or near Ben Hill County.

Historical Earthquake Events

No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Ben Hill County.

No historical earthquake events found in or near Ben Hill County.

Historical Tornado Events

A total of 57 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Ben Hill County.

Distance (miles)DateMagnitudeStart Lat/LogEnd Lat/LogLengthWidthFatalitiesInjuriesProperty DamageCrop DamageAffected County
6.31963-06-14231°43'N / 83°15'W0.50 Mile33 Yards02250K0Ben Hill
6.71967-06-19231°42'N / 83°15'W0.90 Mile33 Yards0025K0Ben Hill
13.41957-04-08331°51'N / 83°05'W31°51'N / 82°50'W14.70 Miles400 Yards1325K0Telfair
14.11982-12-29231°56'N / 83°04'W2.00 Miles33 Yards0025K0Telfair
18.11971-05-12231°36'N / 82°54'W31°38'N / 82°51'W4.30 Miles100 Yards0025K0Coffee
20.61967-05-22231°33'N / 83°25'W0.50 Mile30 Yards0025K0Tift
22.01971-04-23232°01'N / 83°20'W2.00 Miles100 Yards0125K0Wilcox
22.71969-04-18231°26'N / 83°08'W31°34'N / 82°38'W30.80 Miles233 Yards0282.5M0Coffee
23.41971-01-05231°31'N / 82°50'W31°30'N / 82°53'W3.30 Miles77 Yards0125K0Coffee
23.71961-02-24232°05'N / 83°08'W0.50 Mile600 Yards0025K0Baldwin
24.21972-06-19231°29'N / 82°52'W1.50 Miles50 Yards00250K0Coffee
24.51955-04-02231°32'N / 83°31'W31°33'N / 83°28'W3.80 Miles880 Yards0025K0Tift
25.01964-12-25231°32'N / 83°39'W31°37'N / 83°24'W15.80 Miles300 Yards00250K0Tift
25.11952-05-11331°22'N / 83°15'W31°24'N / 83°12'W4.30 Miles200 Yards0102.5M0Berrien
25.21958-11-28232°06'N / 83°04'W0.20 Mile33 Yards01250K0Dodge
25.52002-11-12231°26'N / 82°56'W31°27'N / 82°51'W3.00 Miles200 Yards02500K50KCoffee
 Brief Description: Tornado touched down in field along the Atkinson-Coffee County line near Marshal Corbet Road. Just inside of Coffee county one wood frame structure had a portion of its roof removed. Three large 100 yard long chicken houses were totally destroyed and machinery tossed about. One automobile was picked up and landed on the roof of a brick structure. Extensive roof damage to brick structure. Several work sheds destroyed. Trees snapped off and twisted at tops with debris wrapped in tree tops. Numerous large live oak trees felled. Clear evidence of rotation was noted by investigating officials. The storm continued north in a discontinuous path doing damage to cotton fields. the tornado crossed Highway 135 at the Satilla River with trees again snapped and twisted at the tops. Approximately 1 mile north of the Satilla River the tornado passed over an airstrip destroying a hanger/office structure and severely damaging a crop dusting aircraft. Debris from the destroyed chicken houses was identified at this site some 3 miles from its point of origin. This was the final discernable touchdown, although there was some evidence from debris further north that the system continued as a funnel cloud just above tree top level into southeast Douglas.
26.71969-05-15231°28'N / 83°28'W2.00 Miles33 Yards003K0Tift
29.01968-08-24231°40'N / 83°38'W0.30 Mile33 Yards012250K0Turner
29.21964-04-08231°22'N / 82°55'W5.00 Miles150 Yards0025K0Atkinson
31.12007-04-15232°11'N / 83°10'W32°12'N / 83°07'W4.00 Miles200 Yards00500K0KDodge
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet another tornado touched down in Dodge county and traveled very near the city of Eastman once again. This tornado was from a different complex of thunderstorms than the one that caused the first tornado earlier. However, this was the same complex of thunderstorms that caused the tornado earlier in Crisp county. This time the tornado touched down one mile south of downtown Eastman, traveling northeast. The total path length was 4.5 miles with a maximum path width of 200 yards. The maximum wind speed within the tornado was estimated to be 120 mph. The Dodge County Road Department's garage was destroyed. Two mobile homes in the area were destroyed. A nearby home suffered significant damage when parts of its roof, an exterior wall, and patio were removed. An adjacent barn was also destroyed. Several other homes in the area sustained minor damage. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The fourth tornado outbreak of the year for the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area, and the second major tornado outbreak for the year, occurred across the southern portion of the forecast area, or central Georgia. A broad upper trough over the central U.S. was tracking eastward while a surface low deepened rapidly as it moved from northern Mississippi into eastern Virginia. A strong low-level jet accompanied the system with 50-60 knot winds observed at 850mb across central and south Georgia late in the day on the 14th. The low-level jet transported deep Gulf moisture northward into the region. Sunshine during the early part of the day destabilized the region sufficiently to allow for strong to severe supercell thunderstorms to track across central Georgia just south of a warm frontal boundary across north Georgia. Damage surveys confirmed that nine tornadoes tracked across central Georgia, including many of the same areas that were affected during the major tornado outbreak on March 1st. The was the second most significant tornado outbreak to impact the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area since the August 29, 2005 outbreak associated with Hurricane Katrinia. The state insurance commissioner reported that at least 81 site-built homes, 28 mobile homes, and 10 businesses were damaged or destroyed during the event. Damages to structures alone were near $5 million, with additional damages the result of downed trees and power lines.
33.21989-11-08232°07'N / 83°30'W0.80 Mile100 Yards18250K0Wilcox
33.41958-11-28231°58'N / 83°39'W0.60 Mile33 Yards0025K0Crisp
33.91971-01-15231°38'N / 82°35'W0025K0Bacon
34.91961-04-12231°30'N / 82°40'W31°30'N / 82°35'W4.90 Miles33 Yards0025K0Coffee
35.31964-12-25231°31'N / 83°44'W31°32'N / 83°39'W5.40 Miles300 Yards03250K0Worth
37.41975-01-12231°27'N / 84°00'W31°41'N / 83°30'W33.50 Miles100 Yards0025K0Worth
37.62007-03-02231°30'N / 83°45'W31°31'N / 83°42'W3.00 Miles200 Yards00500K0KWorth
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: An EF-2 tornado touched down on Sumner Lakes Road just south of Sumner. One mobile home was completely destroyed, with the debris blown several hundred yards away. The four occupants inside received warning of the approaching tornado and promptly vacated the home for a reinforced shelter. Of the two dozen structures that were damaged, half were heavily damaged. Numerous utility poles and trees in the path of the tornado were snapped. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of March 1 ahead of advancing warm front across southwest Georgia, producing several reports of wind damage. Later that evening into the predawn hours of March 2, a squall line formed ahead of a cold front, with several reports of wind damage and tornadoes across portions of southwest and south central Georgia. One of the tornadoes tore through a mobile home park just north of Newton, killing six and injuring three.
38.91989-10-01232°01'N / 83°41'W32°04'N / 83°44'W4.00 Miles100 Yards00250K0Dooly
38.91961-04-03231°35'N / 83°59'W31°35'N / 83°35'W23.50 Miles33 Yards0025K0Worth
39.11964-12-25231°38'N / 83°48'W2.00 Miles300 Yards0025K0Crisp
39.52000-02-14231°18'N / 83°38'W31°21'N / 83°35'W5.00 Miles200 Yards0102.0M0Tift
 Brief Description: A strong tornado crossed U.S. Highway 319 from extreme northeast Colquitt County into extreme southwest Tift County, just south of Omega. Twelve mobile homes and eight pre-fabricated homes were destroyed. Numerous frame homes were damaged, including some moved off their block foundations. Ten persons were injured. Numerous trees and power lines were down. Just northeast of Omega, a school bus was blown into a nearby home. Tift County was declared a federal disaster area. Reported by the Tift County EMA.
39.51972-01-05232°11'N / 83°36'W32°11'N / 83°33'W3.30 Miles300 Yards00250K0Montgomery
40.22000-02-14231°19'N / 83°38'W31°20'N / 83°37'W1.00 Mile200 Yards10500K0Colquitt
 Brief Description: A strong tornado tore through extreme northeast Colquitt County near Crosland toppling trees and power lines before it moved into extreme southwest Tift County. Several mobile homes were damaged. One woman was killed in a mobile home just northeast of Crosland when a large tree and another mobile home were blown against her home. Colquitt County was declared a federal disaster area. Reported by a amateur radio operator and the Colquitt County EMA. F43MH
40.51952-01-28231°31'N / 83°47'W1.00 Mile100 Yards0025K0Worth
42.71997-10-26231°32'N / 82°26'W31°36'N / 82°28'W6.00 Miles30 Yards01200K0Bacon
 Brief Description: Ten homes destroyed, four with major damage, and 17 sustained minor damage. A four mile line of standing pine timber was completely destroyed.
42.81966-05-16231°32'N / 83°50'W0.90 Mile400 Yards00250K0Worth
43.01963-01-20232°02'N / 82°30'W2.00 Miles33 Yards0025K0Montgomery
43.01966-02-28232°02'N / 82°30'W0.90 Mile33 Yards0025K0Montgomery
43.21996-03-06231°35'N / 83°56'W31°35'N / 83°47'W10.00 Miles200 Yards006.0M2.0MWorth
 Brief Description: A tornado began near Oak Glenn and moved east across Worth County to Shingler. Several mobile homes were destroyed along with several tractor trailers. At least four large grain bins were demolished along with other farm buildings and equipment. Damage to timber was also significant.
43.51970-06-22231°10'N / 83°27'W0.30 Mile33 Yards0025K0Cook
44.21961-04-12231°30'N / 82°35'W31°30'N / 82°19'W15.70 Miles33 Yards0225K0Bacon
45.51996-11-08232°23'N / 83°10'W32°25'N / 83°08'W4.00 Miles50 Yards16200K0Dodge
 Brief Description: A mixture of severe thunderstorm winds and tornado damage occurred in a track from near Chester in northern Dodge county into Laurens county. In Dodge county near the intersection of highways 257 and 126 down-burst/straight-line winds pushed over several very large oak and sycamore trees, blew the tin roof off of an older home, and blew the steeple off of a church. The roof was lifted from a stronger, well-built home about three-quarters of a mile from the Dodge/Laruens county line. A tornado touched down just inside Dodge county near the Dodge/Laurens county line destroying a double-wide mobile home. A seven year old girl was killed and six other family members were injured. Victims were found in a wooded area as far as 200 yards away from where the mobile home had stood. The home had not been tied down. F7MH
45.61960-05-07232°06'N / 83°48'W1.00 Mile33 Yards0025K0Dooly
45.91972-03-16232°23'N / 83°21'W0.50 Mile100 Yards012250K0Bleckley
46.21958-01-24232°23'N / 83°22'W1.50 Miles200 Yards016250K0Bleckley
46.21971-01-15232°23'N / 83°22'W0.50 Mile33 Yards0025K0Bleckley
46.32007-03-02231°26'N / 83°53'W31°30'N / 83°51'W5.00 Miles150 Yards02275K0KWorth
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado, rated EF-2, was spawned from the same supercell thunderstorm that produced the earlier tornado in Worth County. It touched down near McCarty Road. A brick frame house sustained severe roof damage with a couple of exterior walls collapsing. Two vehicles parked outside were carried into a nearby field. Large oak trees were uprooted, with one falling on a house. One mobile home was flipped over and rolled into a nearby tree. The tornado then moved northeast into a forest and uprooted hundreds of pines. It flattened a house, causing two minor injuries, before lifting just west of State Highway 33. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of March 1 ahead of advancing warm front across southwest Georgia, producing several reports of wind damage. Later that evening into the predawn hours of March 2, a squall line formed ahead of a cold front, with several reports of wind damage and tornadoes across portions of southwest and south central Georgia. One of the tornadoes tore through a mobile home park just north of Newton, killing six and injuring three.
46.61962-01-06231°36'N / 82°24'W31°39'N / 82°20'W5.40 Miles300 Yards0025K0Bacon
47.11999-04-15332°03'N / 83°58'W32°07'N / 83°43'W14.50 Miles700 Yards02810.0M0Dooly
 Brief Description: An NWS Storm survey showed the tornado touched down along highway 27 at the Flint River near Drayton. The tornado hopped eastward along highway 27, demolishing pecan orchards and barns, before devastating the town of Vienna. It exited the town between 2 schools, with only minor damage to either. It later crossed I-75 between Georgia highways 27 and 215, blocking the Interstate with debris. The storm lifted a short distance east of there between Noble Gin Road and Smyrna Church Road. The EMA director said 25 percent of homes and businesses were destroyed or severely damaged. Of the 28 injuries the most serious was a broken leg. Newspaper accounts reported 69 houses, 15 mobile homes, and 9 businesses were destroyed. Another 256 homes, 12 churches, 10 mobile homes, and 6 businesses suffered damage. Three apartment complexes were ruined and 70 power poles were ripped from the ground. Around 400 people were left homeless in a town with a population of over 2700.
47.31961-06-26232°24'N / 83°22'W1.00 Mile33 Yards0025K0Bleckley
47.41971-04-23332°01'N / 83°58'W32°02'N / 83°48'W9.90 Miles150 Yards00250K0Dooly
47.51973-02-08231°35'N / 83°56'W2.00 Miles500 Yards05250K0Worth
47.91951-05-23231°18'N / 83°50'W31°16'N / 83°41'W9.20 Miles50 Yards0025K0Colquitt
49.11961-03-31332°15'N / 83°44'W1.00 Mile100 Yards1142.5M0Dooly
49.32006-12-31232°16'N / 83°43'W32°16'N / 83°43'W01150K250KDooly
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, GA, concluded that a tornado touched down near the intersection of Snow Springs Road or Georgia Highway 230, just west-northwest of Unadilla, and traveled 1/2 mile to a point just east-northeast of Unadilla. While the tornado was initially determined to be an F0 tornado, it intensified to an F2 tornado before dissipating. The tornado first touched down in an open cotton field pushing over a 30-yard section of an irrigation system near Snow Springs Road and U.S. Highway 41. The tornado then moved east to northeast to the northeast side of Unadilla breaking trees, damaging signs, roofs, and billboards along its path. On the east side of Unadilla, three mobile homes were destroyed, several pecan trees were uprooted in a pecan orchard, and shingles were peeled from several homes in the area. The tornado dissipated in the area of Peavy Street and Peavy Lane. The tornado was determined to be approximately 50 yards wide at its widest point and traveled a distance of about 0.5 miles. One minor injury was reported at one of the destroyed mobile homes as a result of minor cuts, bruises, and scrapes from debris. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A major, closed upper low moved from Texas on December 29th into the Ohio Valley on December 31st. The system weakened considerably as it moved out of Texas, where a number of tornadoes occurred. However, the trailing trough still brought showers and thunderstorms to the southeast as it moved through the area on New Year's Eve. In the southern portion of this area, although instability was limited, shear was quite strong. As a result, a small thunderstorm spawned a tornado in northern Dooly county. This same cell continued to threaten areas further east, but no further tornadoes or damage was reported.
49.91961-04-03231°48'N / 82°18'W0.50 Mile33 Yards003K0Appling
50.02007-04-15232°25'N / 82°57'W32°27'N / 82°51'W6.00 Miles200 Yards03400K0KLaurens
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA confirmed that an EF2 tornado had touched down in central Laurens county, about 8.5 miles south-southwest of Dublin, or just south of Garetta, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 441/319 and Georgia Highway 117. The tornado traveled east-northeast across Turkey Creek Church Road, lifting approximately 5.5 miles south-southeast of Dublin near the Oconee River. The tornado had a path length of approximately six miles and a maximum path width of 200 yards. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 120 mph. Most of the damage caused by the tornado was along Turkey Creek Church Road between U.S. Highway 441 and the Oconee River. A tied-down double-wide mobile home was completely destroyed along Turkey Creek Church Road resulting in two injuries. Another tied-down mobile home was destroyed in the same area with two adults and two children inside. All occupants survived, but one sustained minor injuries. The carport of a site-built home was removed as well as a portion of the roof. Several other mobile homes and site-built homes sustained minor damage from wind and fallen trees. A large greenhouse was also destroyed. A number of trees and power lines were down all along the path of the tornado. A few trees were also down just prior to the path of the tornado near Rentz and Cadwell. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The fourth tornado outbreak of the year for the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area, and the second major tornado outbreak for the year, occurred across the southern portion of the forecast area, or central Georgia. A broad upper trough over the central U.S. was tracking eastward while a surface low deepened rapidly as it moved from northern Mississippi into eastern Virginia. A strong low-level jet accompanied the system with 50-60 knot winds observed at 850mb across central and south Georgia late in the day on the 14th. The low-level jet transported deep Gulf moisture northward into the region. Sunshine during the early part of the day destabilized the region sufficiently to allow for strong to severe supercell thunderstorms to track across central Georgia just south of a warm frontal boundary across north Georgia. Damage surveys confirmed that nine tornadoes tracked across central Georgia, including many of the same areas that were affected during the major tornado outbreak on March 1st. The was the second most significant tornado outbreak to impact the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area since the August 29, 2005 outbreak associated with Hurricane Katrinia. The state insurance commissioner reported that at least 81 site-built homes, 28 mobile homes, and 10 businesses were damaged or destroyed during the event. Damages to structures alone were near $5 million, with additional damages the result of downed trees and power lines.


* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.


 
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