EF1 Tornado — Paulding, Georgia

2025-03-15 · near Rollins, Paulding, Georgia

Event narrative

An EF1 tornado with maximum winds of 105 to 110 mph touched down

in central Paulding County on March 15, 2025 at 11:41 PM EST. The

tornado spun up within a strong line of thunderstorms moving

rapidly towards the northeast. The tornado initially touched down

to the southwest of Sudie, GA near Pace Creek Lake, where

multiple large pine trees were downed and an outbuilding was

destroyed. The tornado then tracked northeast where it produced

the initial EF1 rated damage near the intersection of Scoggins

Rd. and Cole Lake Rd. This included numerous large pine trees

downed and power line damage. 2 large pine trees fell on two

homes in the Paces Lake neighborhood. From there the tornado

continued on a northeast track through a mostly forested area

before intersecting Villa Rica HWY near Old Villa Rica Rd. The

tornado paralleled Villa Rica HWY for around 1.5 miles until it

reached the intersection with HWY 278. Damage was most intense

during this phase of the tornado with peak winds estimated in the

105 to 110 range. This included damage to a gas station, numerous

uprooted and topped trees, downed power lines and damage to the

roof of a Kroger grocery store near the intersection of HWY

278 and Villa Rica HWY. After crossing Merchants Dr. the tornado

weakened into the EF0 range as if tracked northeast near Ray

Mountain and into New Hope, GA. Additional EF1 damage was found

just north of New Hope near the intersection of Mount Tabor

Church Rd. and Parkway Ct. Here multiple large trees were

uprooted, a shed was destroyed and several homes were damaged by

falling trees. The tornado then continued towards the northeast

where it caused minor tree and shingle damage in the Reserve

neighborhood. It lifted near the intersection of White Spruce Ln.

and Wood Point Way around 11:53 PM EST. The total number of

structures damaged by the tornado was estimated at 15 by Paulding

Co. EMA.

Wider weather episode

A robust wave moving across the southeast generated a large and unstable warm sector underneath moderate shear. A few thunderstorms were able to develop in the evening hours of the 15th as the cold front approached and dynamics improved. One cell in far north Georgia became strong with damaging winds and a strong enough rotation to warrant a tornado warning. No tornado was generated by the storm. Conditions became more favorable for severe thunderstorms as the front moved across the area. Damaging winds and an EF1 tornado were generated west of the ATL metro before weakening. The QLCS continue in strength across central GA mostly posing a damaging wind threat, however conditions reinvigorated across east-central GA necessitating further tornado warnings. Brief EF0 tornadic damage was found with those northeast of Milledgeville.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.8560, -84.8760)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1249886. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.