EF0 tornado in Stewart County, Georgia

A National Weather Service survey team found that an EF-0 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 85 MPH and a maximum path width of 150 yards occurred in central Stewart County. The tornado touched down along Green Grove Road southwest of the town of Lumpkin snapping a few trees west of the Bell Sister Road intersection. The tornado travelled east southeast hitting Steward County High School. Several trees were snapped at the front of the school and roofing material was torn off and spread several hundred yards east of the school. Water damage inside the school resulted From the loss of the roofing material, primarily on the east side of the school. Bleachers on an adjacent baseball field were overturned and sections of fence along the field were blown down. A few more trees were blown down east of the High School

before the tornado lifted just west of US Highway 27. No injuries were reported. [04/03/17: Tornado #4, County #1/1, EF-0, Stewart, 2017:036].

A strong short wave and associated surface low swept through the southern and eastern U.S. and combined with moderate instability and strong shear resulted in widespread severe weather, including numerous tornadoes, across north and central Georgia from late morning through the afternoon.