EF1 tornado in Gordon County, Georgia

A tornado quickly set down between Roland Hayes Pkwy SW and

Reeves Station Road on either side of the Oostanaula River in

southwest Gordon County on Sunday evening (May 25th). A large

barn was destroyed with all walls and roof collapsing. The barn

had 4x4 posts cemented into the ground (18 inches deep) that

were pulled out of the ground. No trees or other damage

indicators around this barn, so max winds estimated around 95 mph

here. The tornado, which likely skipped up and down along its

entire 6-mile path, tracked southeast snapping a few trees along

Miller Ferry Road. Off of Webb Road SW, 4 chicken houses

sustained damage - one collapsed and two others had metal

siding/roof pieces pulled off. Additional trees were snapped at a

residence just south of the chicken farm. Based on the chicken

house damage, max winds again topped out around 95 mph in this

area. The tornado continued southeast with additional trees

snapped or uprooted (mainly EF0 damage) from Miller Ferry Road

to South Holcomb Road. No additional damage was seen east or

southeast of this area (just west of Hwy 41 and Old Dixie Hwy NW).

The rather large path width of damage (for an EF-1 tornado) could

have been due to multiple circulations/vortices that occurred

within the broader mesocyclone.

An MCS moved into northwest Georgia during the early evening hours of the 25th. The system produced scattered damaging winds and several brief tornados. The system weakened as it moved towards the ATL metro, however a few imbedded cells remained strong and produced further damaging winds as far south as Douglas county.