EF2 tornado in Pike County, Georgia

A National Weather Service survey team determined that an EF-2 tornado that touched down in Meriwether County continued into Pike County. A home sustained minor roof damage, had both doors blown out, and four front windows were damaged. One barn was completely destroyed, and another shifted several feet off its foundation. A pontoon boat was thrown into a third barn. Two neighboring houses sustained minor damage, one to the roof and another to the garage. Thousands of trees were snapped or uprooted, some falling on homes.

[03/18/13: Tornado #1, County #2-2, EF2, Meriwether-Pike, 2013:004].

A strong upper level system combined with a moist south to southeast flow, moderate instability, a cold pool aloft, and enhanced surface convergence along and ahead of an approaching cold front moving through the Deep South. This combination of parameters resulted in widespread severe weather across northwest, west central, and central Georgia including damaging winds, large hail, and a tornado. A wedge of cold air was in place across northeast Georgia, which acted to stabilize this area with only isolated reports of severe weather. The bulk of the severe weather was concentrated along a zone just to the south and west of the wedge front, where instability and low-level shear were maximized.