EF1 tornado in Gilmer County, Georgia

A survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia in conjunction with the Gilmer County Emergency Management Director confirmed that a brief EF1 tornado, sandwiched between two microbursts, had touched down in west central Gilmer county approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Tails Creek or just northeast of Carters Lake and traveled east-northeast 2.6 miles before lifting. The maximum path width was determined to be 1/2 mile wide with maximum winds estimated to be 100 mph. Hundreds of trees were either blown down, uprooted, or snapped along the path of the tornado as it traveled through the Rose Garden subdivision. Approximately 100 homes in this area sustained at least minor damage as large trees fell on the structures. Several sustained major damage. There were reports from Atlanta television media that several people were trapped in their homes during this event, but this information was not confirmed. No injuries or fatalities were reported from this event.

[04/04-04/05/11: Tornado #1, County #1-1, EF1, Gilmer, 2011:003].

An extremely progressive and highly kinematic upper flow remained in place across the U.S. A deep, full-latitude negatively tilted trough and associated strong Pacific cold front swept through the eastern U.S. April 4th into April 5th. An intense northeast to southwest oriented squall line of thunderstorms accompanied this front. Wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph were common along this line of thunderstorms as it traversed the entire Peachtree City (WFO FFC), Georgia Weather Forecast county warning area. Nearly every county received at least one severe thunderstorm warning during this event and nearly every county experienced extensive wind damage from these thunderstorms. Two brief EF0 tornadoes also occurred with this event in Gilmer county of north central Georgia. Downed trees on homes and vehicles also caused 7 fatalities during this event, the most in any single weather event since the catastrophic floods of late September 2009. Even several hours after the storms had passed, at least 50,000 residents of north and central Georgia remained without power.