EF2 tornado in Lowndes County, Georgia

An NWS Storm Survey confirmed that an EF2 tornado occurred in Lowndes county, then moved into Lanier county where it strengthened into an EF3 with maximum winds around 140 mph. The path width was estimated to be around 390 yards wide with a path length in Lowndes county of slightly over 4 miles long. In Lowndes county, the tornado likely initially developed along Cat Creek Road. Several reports were received of funnels from this location while the event was ongoing. There was a house near Cat Creek Road that had uprooted trees on the property with one or two impacting the house. Trees were generally blown down to the northeast, although a street sign was bent to the ground facing to the northwest. A few trees were also blown down along a tree line across the road. At that point, the tornado entered a more heavily forested area with no access roads. However, an aerial flyover by emergency management confirmed sporadic tree damage and a continuous damage path in that area. After the tornado cleared this forested area, the damage path began to widen and the tornado damage increased in intensity. Along Arapaho Trail, about a half mile south of Highway 122, the first instance of EF2 damage occurred as a mobile home was completely destroyed with debris blown downstream, mainly into fencing on the property. Also in this location, a shed was completely destroyed, a camper was flipped, part of the roof of a house was removed, and a silo was destroyed with the debris found resting on the opposite side of the house from where it started. Debris from locations along Arapaho Trail were found well downstream, in some cases at least one third of a mile. Along the next cross street - Peters Road - mostly EF1 damage was observed with snapped and uprooted trees and some broken windows in houses. The survey team found a tree sitting on the ground with a root ball at the end, but could not locate the hole or source of the tree within at least several hundred yards. Along Peters Road gouges were observed in the ground as some debris began to impact the ground. As the tornado crossed Bemiss Road (Highway 125) near Walkers Crossing, the damage path began to reach its widest phase. The maximum width of the tornado was estimated to be around 390 yards or 0.22 miles based on the damage survey. Additional EF2 damage was observed on both sides of the road with wooden power poles snapped, hardwood trees snapped or uprooted, and several homes damaged. A second abandoned home was pushed six feet off the concrete foundation. Maximum winds along this part of Bemiss Road were estimated to be around 125 mph based on damage. Also near these homes, there were deep gouges in the ground, including this one that was close to 1 foot deep and 6 feet long. Large debris also continued to be found along the damage path, including strips of metal that were twisted around damaged trees. The tornado then continued east-northeast, crossing Highway 122 near Barber Road into Lanier county. The Lowndes county emergency manager estimated property damage for Lowndes county at around $250,000 with an additional $100,000 in crop damage from fallen pecan trees.

Several subtle upper level shortwaves affected the area during a three day period between March 1-3 as a broad long-wave upper level trough located west of the area slowly progressed eastward. Subtle surface boundaries were also in the area with a relatively warm, moist and unstable airmass in place. Instability values approached 2000 j/kg with low level shear around 30 knots and deep layer shear around 50 knots. Several tornadoes occurred in the National Weather Service Tallahassee forecast area with numerous instances of straight line wind damage, heavy rain, and localized flooding as well.