EF1 tornado in Taylor County, Georgia

A National Weather Service survey team found that an EF1 tornado with maximum winds of 105 MPH and a maximum path width of 400 yards began in western Taylor County along Highway 96 east of Junction City where a few trees were snapped. The tornado moved northeast snapping and uprooting trees as it crossed Watson Pond Road, North Culverhouse Road and Suddeth Road. As the tornado crossed Wilson Road it destroyed two metal barns and a small silo that was ripped from the ground and thrown at least 300 yards. This is where the tornado reached its maximum estimated strength blowing windows out of a home and causing significant roof damage. The tornado then continued northeast snapping and uprooting trees. Just northeast of Highway 19 along Montford Road a trailer sustained significant damage to the roof and siding and several large trees were blown down. The tornado weakened quickly after this as it moved northeast across a wooded area and ended in a pasture before reaching County Road 108. [01/21/17: Tornado #5, County #1/1, EF1, Taylor, 2017:006].

Throughout the weekend of the 21st and 22nd, persistent southwesterly upper-level flow brought a series of strong short waves across the region. The atmosphere over central Georgia was unseasonably warm and unstable with strong low and mid-level shear. The first short wave generated a wave of severe thunderstorms across central and south Georgia through the morning and into the afternoon of the 21st that produced numerous tornadoes. Twenty three tornadoes were confirmed in the WFO Peachtree City warning area with 27 total tornadoes confirmed in the state of Georgia, both records for the number of tornadoes in a single day. A second, stronger short wave swept through during the late morning and afternoon of the 22nd bringing another round of severe weather to central and south Georgia. Additional tornadoes confirmed brought the 2-day total to 27 for the WFO Peachtree City warning area and 41 for the state of Georgia, both a record number for a 2 day period.