EF2 Tornado — Baker, Georgia

2007-03-01 to 2007-03-02 · near Newton, Baker, Georgia

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.

Wider weather episode

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.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (31.3200, -84.4485)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 22275. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.