9 tornadoes confirmed in Georgia from Katrina

[Brent]

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
825 PM EDT TUE AUG 30 2005

...PRELIMINARY TORNADO DAMAGE REPORTS FROM THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE
KATRINA...

...ONE FATALITY IN CARROLL COUNTY...

...TORNADO COUNT NOW UP TO NINE...

AS HURRICANE KATRINA PUSHED ASHORE LATE MONDAY BANDS OF
THUNDERSTORMS SPIRALED INTO PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
GEORGIA. A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS SPAWNED TORNADOES...RESULTING
IN CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE.

SURVEY TEAMS INVESTIGATED MANY OF THE DAMAGE AREAS. THROUGH 5 PM
THEY HAD FOUND EVIDENCE OF AT LEAST SEVEN TORNADOES. THE FOLLOWING
REPORTS ARE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS OF THE DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH
THESE STORMS. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE TIME AND FUJITA SCALE (F-SCALE)
RATINGS MAY BE NECESSARY AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS COLLECTED.

THE FIRST TORNADO OCCURRED AROUND 425 PM EDT IN EXTREME NORTHERN
HEARD COUNTY...TOUCHING DOWN NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF GLENLOCH.
THIS TORNADO WAS RATED F2...CAUSING INTERMITTENT DAMAGE ALONG A PATH
THAT EXTENDED NORTH INTO CARROLL COUNTY. THE TORNADO TRAVELED ON A
PATH THAT TOOK IT 2 MILES EAST OF ROOPVILLE AND FINALLY ENDED ABOUT
2 MILES NORTH OF ROOPVILLE. THE TOTAL PATH LENGTH WAS 9.5 MILES AND
THE WIDTH WAS UP TO 200 YARDS. THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE TO HOMES AND
TO 8 CHICKEN COOPS. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND THREE OTHERS INJURED.

A SECOND TORNADO WAS CONFIRMED IN HARALSON COUNTY...WITH DAMAGE
STARTING 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE COMMUNITY OF FELTON. THIS TORNADO
WAS RATED F0...WITH A PATH LENGTH OF ONE MILE AND A WIDTH OF ABOUT
75 YARDS. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AND A BARN DESTROYED.

A THIRD TORNADO OCCURRED IN POLK COUNTY...WITH DAMAGE STARTING 2
MILES EAST OF CEDARTOWN AND ENDING ABOUT 2 MILES NORTH OF CEDARTOWN.
THIS TORNADO WAS RATED F1...WITH A WIDTH OF ABOUT 50 YARDS. DAMAGE
INCLUDED THE FLATTENING OF BRICK STORAGE UNITS.

THE FOURTH TORNADO STRUCK A PORTION OF SPALDING COUNTY. THIS WAS
RATED F1 WITH A HOUSE DEMOLISHED AND A HORSE TRAILED THROWN 200
YARDS. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES REPORTED. THE DAMAGE PATH STARTED 5
MILES NORTH OF ORCHARD HILL AND CONTINUED FOR A DISTANCE OF ONE
MILE. THE WIDTH OF THE DAMAGE PATH WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS.

THE FIFTH TORNADO OCCURRED IN PEACH COUNTY AND WAS RATED F1. THIS
ONE TOUCHED DOWN IN FORT VALLEY AND TRAVELED NORTH ACROSS HIGHWAY 49
TO A POINT ABOUT 4 MILES NORTH OF FORT VALLEY. MULTIPLE HOUSES
SUFFERED ROOF DAMAGE AS DID AN OFFICE BUILDING. LARGE OAK AND PECAN
TREES WERE PLUCKED UP AND MOVED. THE DAMAGE PATH WITH THIS STORM WAS
ABOUT 50 YARDS.

THE SIXTH TORNADO STARTED IN HALL COUNTY AND ENDED IN WHITE COUNTY.
THIS ONE WAS RATED F0...WITH A LOT OF DAMAGE TO TREES...SOME OF
WHICH FELL ONTO HOMES. THE DAMAGE PATH STARTED ONE MILE SOUTH OF
LULA...EXTENDED JUST WEST OF LULA...AND ENDED NEAR MOSSY CREEK WHICH
IS SOUTHEAST OF CLEVELAND. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 10 MILES...AND THE
WIDTH ABOUT 50 YARDS. THIS TORNADO OCCURRED AROUND MIDNIGHT.

A SEVENTH TORNADO HIT WHITE COUNTY FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE PATH OF
DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TORNADO STARTED 3 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST
OF HELEN AND CONTINUED TO A POINT NEAR ANNA RUBY FALLS NORTH OF
HELEN. THIS TORNADO WAS RATED F2 WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO
STRUCTURES. A MOTEL LOST ITS ROOF...AS DID A STORE IN A SHOPPING
MALL. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS 5 MILES LONG AND 50 TO 300 YARDS WIDE.

EVIDENCE OF AN EIGHTH TORNADO WAS FOUND IN BARROW COUNTY. AN
ESTIMATED 800 TO 900 TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN IN FORT YARGO STATE
PARK SOUTH OF WINDER. THERE WAS ALSO SOME MINOR DAMAGE TO SOME
CAMPGROUND BUILDINGS. AFTER SURVEYING THE AREA IT WAS DETERMINED
THAT THE PARK HAD BEEN HIT WITH AN F0 TORNADO. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS
1.5 MILES LONG AND ABOUT 100 YARDS WIDE. DAMAGE WAS NEARLY ENTIRELY
CONFINED TO THE STATE PARK.

THE NINTH TORNADO WAS AN F0 THAT OCCURRED IN SOCIAL CIRCLE IN
SOUTHERN WALTON COUNTY. AT LEAST TWO DOZEN TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN.
SOME FELL ON HOUSES AND CARS. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS 1/4 MILE LONG AND
THE WIDTH WAS ABOUT 50 YARDS.

A REMINDER...THIS INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO REVISION.