EF3 Tornado — Carroll, Georgia

2008-02-26 · near Bowdon, Carroll, Georgia

Event narrative

A ground and aerial damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia and the Carroll County Emergency Management Director concluded that an EF3 tornado touched down in extreme western Carroll county, just across the Alabama state line, about 13 miles west of Carrollton and continued to a point approximately five miles west of Carrollton. The tornado traveled a path length of seven to eight miles and had a maximum path width of 100 yards. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 140 mph. Twelve structures, mostly single family homes, suffered extensive damage along the path of the tornado. Only four of the affected structures were manufactured or mobile homes. Two of the affected homes were destroyed, on Indian Creek Road. A woman was injured on Smithfield Road when she was blown from her home. Numerous trees and power lines were down throughout the area as well. Damages were estimated to be nearly $10 million. This plus the following tornado resulted in damage to 128 structures. Six single-family and one mobile home were destroyed, two mobile homes suffered major damage, 34 single-family homes sustained minor damage, and 84 single-family homes, along with one mobile home, suffered minor damage. Five businesses were damaged, two of which were destroyed, along with one suffering major and two others minor damage.

Wider weather episode

A deep upper trough was moving from the mid-south toward the southeast U.S. early on the 26th. A strong cold front accompanied the upper system. A squall line of thunderstorms developed after midnight on the 25th across Mississippi and Alabama and reached the Georgia/Alabama border around 5 am EST. The line of thunderstorms intensified and bowed out just as it was moving in Georgia during the early morning hours. Wind gusts in excess 60 mph affected many counties as these thunderstorms rolled through the area during the early morning hours, causing extensive wind damage to trees, power lines, and some structures from the west and northwest side of Atlanta toward the Alabama border. In addition, two tornadoes, one an EF3, developed along the stronger part of the line as it moved through Carroll county before daybreak causing extensive damage along their paths.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.5638, -85.2905)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 80378. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.