Dougherty County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Georgia Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Dougherty County is about the same as Georgia average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Dougherty County is higher than Georgia average and is much higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #99
| Dougherty County | 0.01 |
| 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
| Dougherty 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, #14
| Dougherty County | 224.28 |
| 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 7,860 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Dougherty County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 28 | Dense Fog: | 47 | Drought: | 27 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 337 | Hail: | 1,940 | Heat: | 10 | Heavy Snow: | 32 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 17 | Ice Storm: | 11 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 41 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 4,839 | Tropical Storm: | 30 | Wildfire: | 16 | Winter Storm: | 9 | Winter Weather: | 40 |
| Other: | 436 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Dougherty County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Dougherty County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Dougherty County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 83 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Dougherty County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 4.4 | 1965-08-09 | 2 | 31°35'N / 84°10'W | 0.30 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Dougherty | |
| 5.4 | 2000-12-16 | 2 | 31°35'N / 84°20'W | 31°37'N / 84°12'W | 6.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 750K | 0 | Dougherty |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado damaged the main house and several surrounding structures at Abigail Plantation off Old Tallahassee Road, as well as several other homes on Old Dawson and Springhill Roads. Hundreds of plantation trees were uprooted. Downed power poles affected 300 customers in northwest Albany. A few storage buildings were damaged at the Cookville Trailer Park just west of Albany. Reported by the Dougherty County Police and WALB-TV Albany. | |||||||||||
| 8.9 | 1961-04-03 | 2 | 31°35'N / 84°10'W | 31°35'N / 83°59'W | 10.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Dougherty |
| 9.7 | 2007-03-02 | 2 | 31°22'N / 84°12'W | 31°27'N / 84°05'W | 8.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.3M | 500K | Mitchell |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The EF-2 tornado moved northeast from Baker County into Mitchell County just west of Baconton. GEMA and FEMA assessed 26 minor damaged homes, 25 major damaged homes, and two destroyed homes. Thirteen businesses sustained minor losses. Most of the damage occurred just north of Baconton on Gravel Hill Road in the Pleasant Grove community. Over 200 acres of pecan trees were uprooted. The tornado flipped over a semi on U.S. Highway 19 about four miles north of Baconton then crossed into southeastern Dougherty County. A state of emergency was declared by the Governor. 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. | |||||||||||
| 11.7 | 2007-03-02 | 2 | 31°26'N / 84°05'W | 31°28'N / 84°00'W | 6.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 300K | 0K | Dougherty |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The EF-2 tornado continued on its northeast track from northern Mitchell County into southeastern Dougherty County. It ripped carports and roof shingles off several homes on County Line Road and Jenkins Road. It also snapped hundreds of trees before it crossed into western Worth County. Ten homes suffered minor damage and two were heavily damaged. 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. | |||||||||||
| 12.0 | 1960-05-07 | 2 | 31°22'N / 84°10'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mitchell | |
| 12.3 | 1993-10-30 | 2 | 31°40'N / 84°10'W | 31°42'N / 84°02'W | 5.00 Miles | 750 Yards | 3 | 27 | 50.0M | 0 | Lee |
| Brief Description: A tornado struck a subdivision five miles north of Albany and killed three people and injured another 27. At least 42 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Also, fifteen mobile homes were completely destroyed by the F2 tornado. The three fatalities occurred in a mobile home and all three victims bodies were blown 75 to 150 feet away from the dwelling. Most of the damaged or destroyed homes were two story with brick or stucco exterior. Several residents noted that the tornado sounded like a freight train as it passed overhead. One elderly lady stated that her dog became restless and started barking 20 minutes before the tornado struck her home. Continuous lightning was observed by several residents prior to and after the tornado touchdown. Several cars were destroyed by fallen trees or wind blown debris. Most of the trees downed by the tornado winds were 60 to 70 feet tall Southern Pine. Most trees were snapped in half and laid to rest in a general northeast direction. Property damage estimates topped $12 million dollars. The tornado stayed on the ground most of its lifetime and varied in width from one-quarter to one-half mile. The damage path was approximately five miles long and ran in a SW to NE direction. The forward speed of the tornado was 60 miles an hour. (F32M)(M14M)(M8M) | |||||||||||
| 13.1 | 1969-12-25 | 2 | 31°42'N / 84°15'W | 31°45'N / 84°12'W | 4.70 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 7 | 25K | 0 | Lee |
| 14.1 | 2007-03-01 | 2 | 31°19'N / 84°27'W | 31°24'N / 84°13'W | 15.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 6 | 3 | 1.3M | 0K | Baker |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: An EF-2 tornado touched down in rural Baker County west of Newton, then traveled rapidly northeast, and caused extensive damage to a mobile home park a mile north of Newton. Six people died and three were injured when their mobile homes were demolished by the tornado. A church was destroyed on State Highway 37 a few miles west of Newton. GEMA and FEMA damage assessments determined ten minor damaged homes, nine major damaged homes, and 18 destroyed homes. The tornado crossed into northern Mitchell County north of Baconton. A state of emergency was declared by the Governor. 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. | |||||||||||
| 14.6 | 2007-03-02 | 2 | 31°27'N / 84°00'W | 31°28'N / 83°58'W | 2.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 175K | 0K | Worth |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The EF-2 tornado moved into western Worth County from southeastern Dougherty County. It uprooted trees and damaged several mobile homes north of Bridgeboro before lifting. 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. | |||||||||||
| 16.8 | 2003-03-20 | 2 | 31°22'N / 84°02'W | 31°24'N / 83°57'W | 6.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 2 | 0 | 750K | 0 | Worth |
| Brief Description: The F2 tornado traveled northeast from northeast Mitchell County into southwest Worth County. It damaged a few dozen homes and destroyed several others. Two persons were killed when their mobile home was destroyed. Numerous trees and power lines were down. A state of emergency was declared for Worth County. Reported by the Worth County EMA and CAP/NWS aerial survey team. F77MH, M50MH | |||||||||||
| 16.9 | 1973-02-08 | 2 | 31°35'N / 83°56'W | 2.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Worth | |
| 18.0 | 1966-05-16 | 2 | 31°26'N / 83°56'W | 1.00 Mile | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Worth | |
| 18.6 | 1975-01-12 | 2 | 31°05'N / 84°23'W | 31°27'N / 84°00'W | 34.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 15 | 2.5M | 0 | Mitchell |
| 19.0 | 2003-03-20 | 3 | 31°11'N / 84°16'W | 31°21'N / 84°01'W | 19.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 4 | 200 | 6.0M | 0 | Mitchell |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado touched down near Branchville, and traveled northeast. Its path was similar to the February 14, 2000 tornado. The tornado intensified to F3 as it passed just south of Camilla, then weakened as it neared the Mitchell-Worth County line. The tornado destroyed 66 homes, and damaged 200 homes and businesses. Numerous trees and power lines were down. At least three dozen roads were closed by debris. The tornado claimed four lives and injured 200. The hardest hit area was in the Goodson Road area of Camilla. A state of emergency was declared for Mitchell County. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA and CAP/NWS aerial survey team. M1MH, M8MH, F40MH, M42MH | |||||||||||
| 19.5 | 1966-08-04 | 2 | 31°48'N / 84°06'W | 0.20 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Lee | |
| 20.9 | 1968-11-11 | 3 | 31°21'N / 83°56'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Worth | |
| 21.0 | 2007-03-02 | 2 | 31°26'N / 83°53'W | 31°30'N / 83°51'W | 5.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 2 | 275K | 0K | Worth |
| 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. | |||||||||||
| 21.2 | 1996-03-06 | 2 | 31°35'N / 83°56'W | 31°35'N / 83°47'W | 10.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 6.0M | 2.0M | Worth |
| 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. | |||||||||||
| 21.7 | 1952-01-22 | 2 | 31°16'N / 84°01'W | 31°17'N / 84°00'W | 1.90 Miles | 350 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mitchell |
| 22.1 | 1952-01-22 | 2 | 31°17'N / 84°00'W | 31°20'N / 83°54'W | 6.80 Miles | 350 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Colquitt |
| 22.4 | 1966-05-16 | 2 | 31°32'N / 83°50'W | 0.90 Mile | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Worth | |
| 23.2 | 2000-02-13 | 3 | 31°10'N / 84°16'W | 31°14'N / 84°07'W | 9.20 Miles | 300 Yards | 11 | 175 | 20.0M | 2.0M | Mitchell |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado tore through two major subdivisions and four mobile home parks just south of Camilla after touching down just east of Branchville. Damage assessments from the American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency reported 200 homes destroyed and 250 homes were damaged. Two miles south of Camilla on GA Highway 112, a large trailer manufacturing plant was destroyed. Eleven fatalities were confirmed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, all of which resided in mobile homes. Approximately 175 persons were injured. The American Red Cross and Salvation Army opened several shelters for the homeless. Hundreds of acres of pecan trees were uprooted, pine trees snapped, and power lines toppled. Numerous irrigation systems were damaged. Property damage estimates totalled $20 million with crop losses estimated at $2 million. Mitchell County was declared a federal disaster area. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA. F55MH, F18MH, F50MH, M17MH, M47MH, F40MH, F33MH, F17MH, F25MH, F51MH, F51MH | |||||||||||
| 23.4 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 31°50'N / 84°24'W | 31°51'N / 84°22'W | 2.70 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Terrell |
| 25.3 | 1964-12-25 | 2 | 31°38'N / 83°48'W | 2.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Crisp | |
| 25.4 | 1952-01-28 | 2 | 31°31'N / 83°47'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Worth | |
| 25.6 | 1961-04-03 | 2 | 31°35'N / 83°59'W | 31°35'N / 83°35'W | 23.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Worth |
| 26.1 | 1971-04-30 | 2 | 31°34'N / 84°49'W | 31°29'N / 84°30'W | 19.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Calhoun |
| 27.4 | 1975-01-12 | 2 | 31°27'N / 84°00'W | 31°41'N / 83°30'W | 33.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Worth |
| 27.8 | 1963-04-06 | 2 | 31°08'N / 84°11'W | 0.80 Mile | 37 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mitchell | |
| 28.7 | 1970-12-16 | 2 | 31°57'N / 84°15'W | 0.50 Mile | 40 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Sumter | |
| 28.9 | 2007-03-02 | 2 | 31°30'N / 83°45'W | 31°31'N / 83°42'W | 3.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0K | Worth |
| 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. | |||||||||||
| 29.2 | 1969-04-18 | 2 | 31°03'N / 84°35'W | 31°26'N / 83°08'W | 89.60 Miles | 233 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Grady |
| 29.2 | 1971-04-23 | 3 | 31°46'N / 84°38'W | 31°48'N / 84°36'W | 3.30 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Randolph |
| 29.5 | 1971-04-23 | 3 | 31°48'N / 84°36'W | 31°55'N / 84°29'W | 10.60 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Paulding |
| 30.8 | 1964-12-25 | 2 | 31°31'N / 83°44'W | 31°32'N / 83°39'W | 5.40 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Worth |
| 31.2 | 1972-01-13 | 2 | 31°05'N / 84°12'W | 1.00 Mile | 150 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Mitchell | |
| 31.6 | 2000-02-14 | 3 | 31°04'N / 84°09'W | 31°06'N / 84°06'W | 2.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Thomas |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado moved from the northeast corner of Grady County into extreme northwest Thomas County near Meigs. A few homes were damaged with numerous downed trees and power lines. Reported by the Thomas County EMA. | |||||||||||
| 31.9 | 1989-10-01 | 2 | 31°04'N / 83°56'W | 31°15'N / 83°52'W | 10.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 2 | 12 | 2.5M | 0 | Colquitt |
| 32.0 | 1951-05-23 | 2 | 31°18'N / 83°50'W | 31°16'N / 83°41'W | 9.20 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Colquitt |
| 32.5 | 2007-03-01 | 3 | 31°55'N / 84°33'W | 31°58'N / 84°26'W | 8.00 Miles | 1790 Yards | 0 | 3 | 1.0M | 0K | Webster |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA concluded that a strong, violent, and long-lived EF3 tornado tracked across southeast Webster, much of Sumter, and far southern Macon counties. The tornado touched down near Chambliss on the Webster/Terrell county line and tracked east-northeast exiting the county into Sumter county near Bottsford. While the overall path length of the tornado was around 40 miles, the path length within Webster county was between seven and eight miles. While the tornado reached its maximum path width of 1.0 mile in Sumter county near Americus, it was determined to be less than this within Webster county. A path of significant damage was noted across southeast Webster county. A concrete block house and two machine shops on East Centerpoint Road just northeast of Chambliss were completely destroyed. Three injuries resulted from the damage here. Twenty-five feet of asphalt in front of the home was also ripped up by the tornado. On a nearby farm, five cows were killed when they were tossed about by the tornado. A tractor-trailer traveling on Georgia Highway 520 near Chambliss was overturned causing it to catch on fire and burn. Very nearby, at the intersection of Georgia Highway 520 and TV Tower Road, a 1096 foot Georgia Public Television transmission tower was destroyed when two-thirds of the tower was twisted off by the tornado and destroyed. Only 150 feet of the 1096 foot tower was left standing after the tornado passed. Numerous trees and power lines were also down in the area. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A major, negatively tilted and closed upper trough rotated through the mid-south and southeast U.S. on March 1st. A 150kt jet was located over the region at 250mb with a strong 50kt low-level jet from central Alabama into central Tennessee. A wedge of cool air was present over much of north central and northeast Georgia. Rain, which spread over this area early in the day, helped enhance the wedge of cool air. Little to no severe weather was noted north of the wedge boundary across north Georgia where the air mass remained relatively cool and stable. Meanwhile...a warm, humid air mass was present across much of central and south Georgia where dewpoints had risen well into the 60s during the afternoon. The strong upper dynamics present over this region combined with the instability just south of the wedge provided a very favorable environment for long lived, strong tornadoes. A total of 14 tornadoes affecting 17 counties tracked across central and east central Georgia and within the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area during the late afternoon and evening hours of March 1st. This was the second greatest number of tornadoes recorded to have occurred in the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area within a 24-hour period, second only to the 16 tornadoes, affecting 18 counties, associated with Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. The March 1st tornadoes spanned an area from Stewart county in the far southwest part of the county warning area to Warren county in the far east central portion of the county warning area. The first tornado touched down in Stewart county at 4:11 pm EST and the last tornado lifted in Marion county at 10:55 pm EST. By far the hardest hit county was Sumter county, and especially the city of Americus, where hundreds of homes and business, including the regional hospital, were heavily damaged or destroyed. Additional tornadoes were reported further south in Tallahassee and Jacksonville's, Florida's forecast areas. Federal disaster assistance had been approved for 1,836 households across the state for a total of $14.2 million. Another $5.8 million had been approved for public assistance of debris removal and to repair infrastructure. The Small Business Association also approved $7 million in disaster assistance loans. Overall damages, however, are estimated to be several hundred million. Substantial rainfall fell across much of the state, but rainfall amounts of three to five inches were common across central and east central areas. The heaviest rainfall fell in the Hancock, Putnam, and Baldwin county areas, where some spots received in excess of six inches of rain. Some flooding was reported in these areas. | |||||||||||
| 33.8 | 2000-02-14 | 3 | 31°05'N / 84°01'W | 31°04'N / 84°01'W | 4.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 1 | 1 | 1.0M | 0 | Mitchell |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado tracked northeast from extreme northwest Thomas County into extreme southeast Mitchell County. Numerous homes were damaged as well as downed trees and power lines. One man died from injuries sustained when the tornado destroyed his mobile home and neighboring woodframe home two miles north of Meigs. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA. M73MH | |||||||||||
| 33.9 | 1961-04-15 | 2 | 32°00'N / 84°12'W | 32°03'N / 84°09'W | 5.10 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Sumter |
| 35.4 | 1968-08-24 | 2 | 31°40'N / 83°38'W | 0.30 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 12 | 250K | 0 | Turner | |
| 35.4 | 2000-12-16 | 2 | 32°00'N / 84°10'W | 32°04'N / 83°59'W | 10.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 310K | 0 | Sumter |
| Brief Description: A National Weather Service disaster survey team reported that an F2 tornado first touched down at 9:30 pm EST 6 miles southeast of Americus, Georgia, on Henry Hart Road, midway between Georgia Highway 377 and U. S. Highway 280. The tornado then moved northeast at approximately 45 mph lifting 1 mile east of the Flint river at Georgia Highway 27 and Joe Stewart Road around 9:42 pm EST. The tornado cut a path up to 100 yards wide and traveled on the ground about 10 miles or 12 minutes. Although the tornado traveled through mainly rural areas, significant damage was reported. A wooden frame house was completely destroyed near the tornado's touchdown point on Henry Hart Road, while another home was damaged nearby. As the tornado continued along its northeastward path, five outbuildings were destroyed, three barns were destroyed, two cattle were killed, one large camper was overturned, one high tension power line tower was severely damaged, and a few temporary construction trailers were damaged. Finally, just before the tornado lifted, several chicken houses were destroyed on Joe Stewart Road. As a result, nearly 400 chickens were killed. In addition, numerous trees and power lines were blown down all across the county. There were no injuries or deaths reported with the tornado. | |||||||||||
| 36.0 | 1971-04-30 | 2 | 31°35'N / 84°50'W | 31°34'N / 84°49'W | 2.30 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Carroll |
| 36.1 | 1971-04-23 | 3 | 32°01'N / 84°00'W | 32°01'N / 83°57'W | 3.60 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Sumter |
| 36.2 | 1957-04-08 | 2 | 31°52'N / 84°42'W | 31°55'N / 84°38'W | 5.20 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Randolph |
| 36.7 | 1965-07-06 | 2 | 32°04'N / 84°14'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Sumter | |
| 36.7 | 2000-02-14 | 3 | 31°01'N / 84°12'W | 31°00'N / 84°03'W | 8.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 6 | 15 | 3.5M | 3.0M | Grady |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado tore through northern Grady County, then crossed into extreme northwest Thomas County. Fifteen homes were destroyed and numerous damaged. Fifteen persons were injured, mostly from flying debris. Six fatalities were confirmed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency: four deaths in mobile homes and two in a woodframe home. Scores of pecan trees were uprooted, pine trees snapped and power lines toppled. Farmers suffered major losses to irrigation equipment, trailers and shelters. Eight chicken houses were flattened, killing a half million chickens. Grady County was declared a federal disaster area. Reported by the Grady County EMA. M64PH, F63PH, F54MH, M85MH, F1MH, F28MH | |||||||||||
| 37.1 | 1971-01-15 | 2 | 32°03'N / 84°02'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Sumter | |
| 37.6 | 2000-02-14 | 2 | 31°19'N / 83°38'W | 31°20'N / 83°37'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 1 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Colquitt |
| 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 | |||||||||||
| 38.5 | 2007-03-01 | 3 | 31°58'N / 84°27'W | 32°13'N / 84°04'W | 32.00 Miles | 1790 Yards | 2 | 8 | 110.0M | 0K | Sumter |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia concluded that the EF3 tornado that first touched down in southeast Webster county continued to track northeast from the southwest to the northeast corner of Sumter county and then continued into extreme southern Macon county before finally lifting. The tornado tracked a total distance on the ground of approximately 40 miles. The tornado entered Sumter county about 4.75 miles southwest of Plains in southwest Sumter county and exited the northeast part of the county about 9 miles north of Methvins in northeast Sumter county. This was by far the most violent and devastating tornado of the March 1st outbreak. The tornado tracked roughly 32 miles across Sumter county with a maximum path width of 1.0 mile wide, which occurred in the Americus area. Damage within the city of Americus was extensive, although structures, trees, and power lines were down along the entire path of the tornado. The most significant damage in Americus was to the Sumter Regional Hospital, of which a significant portion was destroyed. Hundreds of homes and businesses in the Americus area were either totally destroyed or sustained significant damage. Hunderds of vehicles were also damaged or destroyed by debris and/or tossed about like matchsticks. The majority of the damage was within the vicinity of the Sumter Regional Hospital. Two deaths were reported at a home in Americus when a wall collapsed on a 43 year-old male and a 53-year old female. At least eight injuries were documented, but there may have been more. Within the city of Americus, proper, there were 1235 total structures damaged or destroyed, including 217 businesses, 993 residences, 3 cemeteries, 10 churches, 1 fire station, 1 hospital, 8 recreational facilities/parks, and 2 schools. There were 75 structures (42 businesses, 31 residences, 1 hospital, 1 church) were destroyed. There were 148 structures (27 businesses, 116 residences, 3 recreational facilities/parks, 2 churches) with major damage. There were 331 structures (60 businesses, 260 residences, 3 recreational facilities/parks, 5 churches, 1 school, 2 cemeteries) with major damage and 681 structures (88 businesses, 586 residences, 2 recreational facilities/parks, 2 churches, 1 school, 1 cemetery, 1 fire station) with minor damage. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A major, negatively tilted and closed upper trough rotated through the mid-south and southeast U.S. on March 1st. A 150kt jet was located over the region at 250mb with a strong 50kt low-level jet from central Alabama into central Tennessee. A wedge of cool air was present over much of north central and northeast Georgia. Rain, which spread over this area early in the day, helped enhance the wedge of cool air. Little to no severe weather was noted north of the wedge boundary across north Georgia where the air mass remained relatively cool and stable. Meanwhile...a warm, humid air mass was present across much of central and south Georgia where dewpoints had risen well into the 60s during the afternoon. The strong upper dynamics present over this region combined with the instability just south of the wedge provided a very favorable environment for long lived, strong tornadoes. A total of 14 tornadoes affecting 17 counties tracked across central and east central Georgia and within the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area during the late afternoon and evening hours of March 1st. This was the second greatest number of tornadoes recorded to have occurred in the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area within a 24-hour period, second only to the 16 tornadoes, affecting 18 counties, associated with Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. The March 1st tornadoes spanned an area from Stewart county in the far southwest part of the county warning area to Warren county in the far east central portion of the county warning area. The first tornado touched down in Stewart county at 4:11 pm EST and the last tornado lifted in Marion county at 10:55 pm EST. By far the hardest hit county was Sumter county, and especially the city of Americus, where hundreds of homes and business, including the regional hospital, were heavily damaged or destroyed. Additional tornadoes were reported further south in Tallahassee and Jacksonville's, Florida's forecast areas. Federal disaster assistance had been approved for 1,836 households across the state for a total of $14.2 million. Another $5.8 million had been approved for public assistance of debris removal and to repair infrastructure. The Small Business Association also approved $7 million in disaster assistance loans. Overall damages, however, are estimated to be several hundred million. Substantial rainfall fell across much of the state, but rainfall amounts of three to five inches were common across central and east central areas. The heaviest rainfall fell in the Hancock, Putnam, and Baldwin county areas, where some spots received in excess of six inches of rain. Some flooding was reported in these areas. | |||||||||||
| 38.5 | 2000-02-14 | 2 | 31°18'N / 83°38'W | 31°21'N / 83°35'W | 5.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 10 | 2.0M | 0 | Tift |
| 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. | |||||||||||
| 39.0 | 1971-04-23 | 3 | 32°01'N / 83°58'W | 32°02'N / 83°48'W | 9.90 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dooly |
| 40.5 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 31°23'N / 84°56'W | 31°25'N / 84°50'W | 6.40 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Early |
| 40.7 | 1964-12-25 | 2 | 31°32'N / 83°39'W | 31°37'N / 83°24'W | 15.80 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Tift |
| 42.5 | 1955-04-02 | 2 | 31°32'N / 83°31'W | 31°33'N / 83°28'W | 3.80 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Tift |
| 43.4 | 1961-11-23 | 2 | 31°24'N / 84°56'W | 0.90 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Early | |
| 43.7 | 1999-04-15 | 3 | 32°03'N / 83°58'W | 32°07'N / 83°43'W | 14.50 Miles | 700 Yards | 0 | 28 | 10.0M | 0 | Dooly |
| 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. | |||||||||||
| 44.3 | 1969-05-15 | 2 | 31°28'N / 83°28'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Tift | |
| 44.5 | 1971-04-29 | 2 | 30°54'N / 84°20'W | 30°53'N / 84°10'W | 10.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 2 | 2.5M | 0 | Grady |
| 44.5 | 1971-02-07 | 2 | 31°02'N / 84°45'W | 31°03'N / 84°39'W | 6.10 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Decatur |
| 44.6 | 1958-11-28 | 2 | 31°58'N / 83°39'W | 0.60 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Crisp | |
| 45.0 | 2005-03-22 | 3 | 31°04'N / 84°53'W | 31°08'N / 84°41'W | 15.20 Miles | 1250 Yards | 0 | 10 | 5.5M | 0 | Miller |
| Brief Description: The tornado, which crossed from Seminole County into Miller County, quickly intensified as it paralleled Highway 91. It damaged nearly 100 homes and destroyed 25 others along its path. It struck a 120+ acre farm on Nobles Road, destroying several storage buildings, welding shop, farrowing house and implement shed, and heavily damaging the family residence. Several irrigation pivots were damaged or destroyed. Many trees and power lines were down. Ten people were injured, two of those critically. The tornado weakened as it approached County Road 45. It continued its northeastward trek across County Road 310 and U.S. Highway 27, then dissipated about three miles southeast of Colquitt. The storm survey was conducted by the NWS Tallahassee WCM and SOO. | |||||||||||
| 45.7 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 32°11'N / 84°25'W | 32°11'N / 84°20'W | 4.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Schley |
| 45.9 | 1989-10-01 | 2 | 32°01'N / 83°41'W | 32°04'N / 83°44'W | 4.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dooly |
| 46.0 | 1960-05-07 | 2 | 32°06'N / 83°48'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Dooly | |
| 46.1 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 31°14'N / 84°56'W | 31°15'N / 84°54'W | 2.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Early |
| 46.9 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 32°10'N / 84°33'W | 32°11'N / 84°25'W | 7.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Stewart |
| 47.0 | 1967-05-22 | 2 | 31°33'N / 83°25'W | 0.50 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Tift | |
| 47.2 | 2001-03-15 | 2 | 30°51'N / 84°22'W | 30°52'N / 84°18'W | 5.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 9 | 1.0M | 0 | Grady |
| Brief Description: The F2 tornado raced northeast from just southeast of Climax in Decatur County to just southeast of Whigham in Grady County, then dissipated. Nine persons were injured, one critically. Ten homes were damaged and two homes destroyed on Piney Grove Road four miles southwest of Whigham. A half dozen homes were damaged two miles southwest of Whigham at the intersection of Attapulgus and Cleon Roads. Additionally, ten barns and sheds were damaged and eight trailers destroyed. Numerous trees and power lines down with outages. Reported by the Grady County EMA and a SKYWARN storm spotter. | |||||||||||
| 47.4 | 2007-03-01 | 3 | 32°13'N / 84°09'W | 32°13'N / 84°06'W | 3.00 Miles | 1790 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2K | 0K | Macon |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City confirmed that the EF3 tornado, that originated in Webster county near Chambliss and tracked across Sumter county from south of Plains, through Americus, to north of Methvins, continued briefly into extreme southern Macon county before lifting south of Oglethorpe just west of the Flint River in a very rural, swamp like area of the county. The tornado path length within Macon county was approximately three miles. Damage within Macon county was confined to trees and a few power lines. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A major, negatively tilted and closed upper trough rotated through the mid-south and southeast U.S. on March 1st. A 150kt jet was located over the region at 250mb with a strong 50kt low-level jet from central Alabama into central Tennessee. A wedge of cool air was present over much of north central and northeast Georgia. Rain, which spread over this area early in the day, helped enhance the wedge of cool air. Little to no severe weather was noted north of the wedge boundary across north Georgia where the air mass remained relatively cool and stable. Meanwhile...a warm, humid air mass was present across much of central and south Georgia where dewpoints had risen well into the 60s during the afternoon. The strong upper dynamics present over this region combined with the instability just south of the wedge provided a very favorable environment for long lived, strong tornadoes. A total of 14 tornadoes affecting 17 counties tracked across central and east central Georgia and within the Peachtree City, Georgia county warning area during the late afternoon and evening hours of March 1st. This was the second greatest number of tornadoes recorded to have occurred in the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area within a 24-hour period, second only to the 16 tornadoes, affecting 18 counties, associated with Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. The March 1st tornadoes spanned an area from Stewart county in the far southwest part of the county warning area to Warren county in the far east central portion of the county warning area. The first tornado touched down in Stewart county at 4:11 pm EST and the last tornado lifted in Marion county at 10:55 pm EST. By far the hardest hit county was Sumter county, and especially the city of Americus, where hundreds of homes and business, including the regional hospital, were heavily damaged or destroyed. Additional tornadoes were reported further south in Tallahassee and Jacksonville's, Florida's forecast areas. Federal disaster assistance had been approved for 1,836 households across the state for a total of $14.2 million. Another $5.8 million had been approved for public assistance of debris removal and to repair infrastructure. The Small Business Association also approved $7 million in disaster assistance loans. Overall damages, however, are estimated to be several hundred million. Substantial rainfall fell across much of the state, but rainfall amounts of three to five inches were common across central and east central areas. The heaviest rainfall fell in the Hancock, Putnam, and Baldwin county areas, where some spots received in excess of six inches of rain. Some flooding was reported in these areas. | |||||||||||
| 47.4 | 1982-04-05 | 2 | 31°08'N / 84°56'W | 31°08'N / 84°48'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Miller |
| 47.4 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 32°11'N / 84°20'W | 32°15'N / 84°18'W | 5.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Stewart |
| 48.5 | 1961-03-31 | 2 | 32°14'N / 84°18'W | 0.50 Mile | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Schley | |
| 48.6 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 32°09'N / 84°39'W | 32°10'N / 84°33'W | 6.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Webster |
| 48.9 | 1975-01-12 | 2 | 30°47'N / 84°55'W | 31°05'N / 84°23'W | 37.80 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Seminole |
| 49.0 | 1961-04-09 | 2 | 32°03'N / 84°48'W | 32°05'N / 84°44'W | 4.90 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Stewart |
| 49.7 | 1957-04-05 | 2 | 32°12'N / 84°21'W | 32°18'N / 84°16'W | 8.60 Miles | 400 Yards | 2 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Schley |
| 49.8 | 2001-03-15 | 2 | 30°50'N / 84°25'W | 30°50'N / 84°24'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 4 | 500K | 0 | Decatur |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado touched down on Fewell Road in the Bell Dixon Community and tracked northeast into western Grady County. Debris was scattered over a wide area. Four persons were injured, one critically. Five homes sustained roof and window damage. Numerous trees and power lines down. One house was destroyed and eight others were severely damaged. A double-wide mobile home on Bell Dixon Road was lifted from its foundation and reduced to bits of debris in a neighboring field. Reported by the Decatur County EMA and Bainbridge Post Searchlight. | |||||||||||
| 49.9 | 1954-12-05 | 2 | 31°58'N / 84°57'W | 32°09'N / 84°39'W | 21.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 20 | 250K | 0 | Stewart |
| 49.9 | 1969-04-18 | 2 | 30°49'N / 84°47'W | 31°03'N / 84°35'W | 20.00 Miles | 233 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Decatur |
* 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.