National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

A strong upper level system moved through the middle of the country Monday, December 17^th, with an area of surface low pressure lifting from the Southern Plains toward the Ohio Valley. This low pressure center pulled a cold front into the Southeastern U.S. on Monday. Widespread showers moved into GA Sunday afternoon with the front sweeping through Georgia Monday. Sunday afternoon the Storm Prediction Center put all of north and central Georgia under a slight risk of severe storms for Monday due to the expected increased shear and instability. As the front swept through the state, a line of strong thunderstorms formed ahead of the frontal boundary and a few of these storms reached severe levels. A total of 3 tornadoes touched down Monday afternoon in Telfair and Wheeler Counties. Two of the tornadoes were classified as EF-1 with the third one being classified as an EF-0. These tornadoes knocked down numerous trees and caused some minor shingle damage.

Telfair County Tornado

Rating: EF-0

Max wind speed: 65 mph

Path length: 1.33 miles

Path width: 15 yards

Injuries: 0

Deaths: 0

Start time: 1:48 PM

End time: 1:50 PM

Begin point: 31.9342N/-83.0402W

End point: 31.91483N/-83.0245W

A short-lived tornado touched down in Telfair County during the afternoon on Monday, December 17, 2012. Numerous trees had their tops twisted off and some large branches were snapped off.

 

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Telfair County Tornado Track

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Tree Snapped by Tornado in Telfair County

Wheeler County Tornado (Number 1)

Rating: EF-1
Max wind speed: 100 mph
Path length: 0.24 miles
Path width: 75 yards
Injuries: 0
Deaths: 0
Start time: 149 PM
End time: 150 PM
Begin point: 32.0703N/-82.7307W
End point: 32.0702N/-82.7266W

This was one of two tornadoes in Wheeler County on Monday. It caused some minor shingle damage to one structure and about 50 trees were also reported to have been downed or had their tops sheared off.

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Wheeler County Tornado (Number 2)

Rating: EF-1
Max wind speed: 100 mph
Path length: 0.67 miles
Path width: 20 yards
Injuries: 0
Deaths: 0
Start time: 146 PM
End time: 148 PM
Begin point: 32.16176N/-82.740382W
End point: 32.167493N/-82.734868W

This was another tornado that touched down in Wheeler County. The tornado sheared off the tops of numerous trees and some hardwood trees were snapped at their trunks.

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