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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
555 PM EST Wed Jan 25 2017 /455 PM CST Wed Jan 25 2017/

...Public Information Statement...

...NWS Damage Survey For Sunday January 22 Tornado Event...

.Update...Updated for tornado that impacted Brooks...Clay and 
Berrien Counties...

.Brooks-Clay-Berrien Tornado...

Rating:                 EF3
Estimated Peak Wind:    140 mph
Path Length /statute/:  24.88 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   700 yards
Fatalities:             11
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             01/22/2017
Start Time:             03:29 AM EST
Start Location:         4 ENE Sand Hill / Brooks County / GA
Start Lat/Lon:          30.9998 / -83.5841

End Date:               01/22/2017
End Time:               03:58 AM EST
End Location:           2 N Allenville / Berrien County / GA
End Lat/Lon:            31.1557 / -83.2095

Summary: This was the second tornado to touch down from the same
parent tornado that impacted Thomas and northwest Brooks Counties.
The tornado touched down at EF-1 strength in northern Brooks
County near Georgia Route 122 just west of the Moultrie Highway
snapping trees along the highway. Near the intersection of Georgia
Route 133, or the Valdosta Highway, the tornado strengthened to
EF-3 blowing out two of the four concrete walls of a small
business building. A short distance later, the tornado ripped a
strapped-down double wide mobile home and tossed it about 100
feet into a drainage ditch and across Route 122. Two people inside
the home were killed. Several nearby trees had their barked
stripped off. The tornado then crossed Georgia Route 76 at EF-3
strength and ripped about a third of the second story from a well-
built brick home. A short distance up the road, the tornado
shifted a wood-framed home about 12 feet off its foundation while
removing its second story.

The tornado then continued into Cook County. Still at EF-3
strength, it swept about 35 manufactured homes into a pile of
rubble at the far end of the Sunshine Acres mobile home park.
Seven people lost their lives. The tornado then went on to destroy
about two thirds of a brick home on Val Del Road, collapsing in
two walls and removing most of the second story. Another home
built of concrete blocks was destroyed. A nearby farm had several
concrete anchors for a large metal structure pulled from the
ground.

The tornado progressed into Berrien County where it completely
removed the second story of a wood frame home on South Coffee
Road. Just up the road, a well-strapped double wide home was
completely removed and tossed into nearby trees and hedges. The
last of the EF-3 damage occurred on Old Lois Road where most of
the roof of a brick home was removed. An add-on room on the back
of the home was flattened by a massive live oak tree crushing two
occupants to death in their bed. The tornado continue past Old
Valdosta Road stripping bark from several trees in the area and
then produced EF-2 damage just past U.S. Route 129 on County
Road before lifting.


.Henry County Tornado...

Rating:                 EF1
Estimated Peak Wind:    110 mph
Path Length /statute/:  5.53 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   100 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             01/22/2017
Start Time:             02:02 PM EST
Start Location:         2 SW Grandberry Crossroads / Henry County / AL
Start Lat/Lon:          31.3377 / -85.2515

End Date:               01/22/2017
End Time:               02:14 PM EST
End Location:           3 SSW Haleburg / Henry County / AL
End Lat/Lon:            31.3706 / -85.1662

Summary: EF1 tornado tracked across southern Henry County
snapping and uprooting numerous trees, destroying a mobile home
and causing minor roof damage to a few structures.

.Clay-Calhoun-Randolph Tornado...

Rating:                 EF2
Estimated Peak Wind:    125 mph
Path Length /statute/:  12.07 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   400 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               1

Start Date:             01/22/2017
Start Time:             02:38 PM EST
Start Location:         2 NNE Harrisons Mill / Clay County / GA
Start Lat/Lon:          31.5704 / -84.8654

End Date:               01/25/2017
End Time:               02:52 PM EST
End Location:           1 S Goffs Mill / Randolph County / GA
End Lat/Lon:            31.6805 / -84.7076

Summary: The tornado touched down in Clay County and moved northeast through
the northwest corner of Calhoun County and into southern Randolph County.
It caused extensive tree damage with nearly every tree in its path
snapped through the Clay and Calhoun portions of the track. In addition, it 
flipped a mobile home in Clay County, injuring one person who was inside. 
The tornado caused major roof damage in Clay and Calhoun counties removing
the roofing structure from two homes. It also caused minor roofing damage
to several homes in all three counties. 

.Thomas and NW Brooks Tornado...

Rating:                 EF2
Estimated Peak Wind:    120 mph
Path Length /statute/:  18.74 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   700 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               3

Start Date:             01/22/2017
Start Time:             02:56 AM EST
Start Location:         1 S Pasco / Thomas County / GA
Start Lat/Lon:          30.8997 / -83.9821

End Date:               01/22/2017
End Time:               03:18 AM EST
End Location:           3 WNW Sand Hill / Brooks County / GA
End Lat/Lon:            31.0016 / -83.6917

This tornado was the first of two produced by the same
thunderstorm that moved across South Georgia early Sunday morning.
The tornado initially touched down just west of US-19 in Thomas
County and then moved NE across mainly rural areas of the county.
Damage was initially limited in the vicinity of US-19 to snapped
and uprooted pine trees. The tornado began to strengthen and
produced more significant damage near the vicinity of Crowley and
Hall Roads where a home lost a significant amount of roof deck and
numerous large trees were snapped and uprooted. Damage in this
area was consistent with higher end EF-1 to lower end EF-2
intensity.

As the tornado neared US-319 north of Thomasville, extensive areas
of snapped pine trees were found along the damage path in some
areas several hundred yards wide. Also in the vicinity was a
mobile home that was completely destroyed. Damage in this area
was consistent with lower end EF-2 intensity. 

The tornado continued across mainly rural NE Thomas County
crossing Centennial Road where a double-wide mobile home was
completely destroyed. Damage in this area was consistent with a
EF-2 tornado. 

After this point, damage was mainly limited to significant tree
damage along the path, though some structural damage occurred to
the NW of Pavo before the tornado crossed into NW Brooks County.
Damage along this section of the tornado was rated EF-1. 

Once in NW Brooks County the tornado mainly damaged trees and the
roof of one residence before dissipating. Damage in this area was
consistent with a EF-1 tornado. 
EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into
the following categories.

EF0...Weak......65 TO 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 TO 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 TO 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 TO165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 TO 200mph
EF5...Violent...>200mph|

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$