EF3 Tornado — Muscogee, Georgia

2019-03-03 · near Double Churches, Muscogee, Georgia

Event narrative

A National Weather Service survey found that the deadly EF4 tornado that crossed Macon and Lee Counties in Alabama moved across the Chattahoochee River into Muscogee County Georgia with an EF1 intensity. The tornado entered the county in the Standing Boy Creek State Park, moving east northeast along Winding Ridge Road, Old River Road and Biggers Road causing extensive damage in forested areas. Large swaths of softwood trees were uprooted or snapped near their bases. The tornado continued east northeast crossing Winding Ridge Road and I-185 southwest of Fortson. As the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 27 between Woodridge Road and Almond Road, it reached EF3 intensity, toppling a large cell tower along with a swath of pine trees with wind speeds estimated to be around 140 mph. Around a dozen metal guidewires attached to the tower, and measuring over one inch in diameter, were snapped. The tornado crossed into Harris County after crossing Highway 27. No injuries were reported along the Muscogee County portion of the tornado path. [03/03/19: Tornado #2, County #1/3, EF3, Muscogee, 2019:007].

Wider weather episode

A powerful storm system moved across the mid-south and southeast United States producing widespread severe weather and numerous tornadoes. In middle Georgia, significant damage from fourteen separate tornadoes was observed. Thousands of trees were snapped or uprooted and numerous homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Across central Georgia, incredibly, no deaths were reported, with only around a dozen minor injuries.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.5750, -85.0570)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 810658. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.