Coosa to Randolph Tornado January 11, 1885

Coosa - Clay - Randolph F-3
Tornado January 11, 1885


Rating: (Click for F Scale)	F-3
Estimated Maximum Wind:	158-206 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	20 Injured/ 2 Fatalities
Damage Path Length:	60 miles
Maximum Path Width:	1000 Yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	Coosa River near Marble Valley at 915 pm
Approximate End Point/Time:	NE Roanoke
Notes:	Path Estimated from Accounts

The tornado passed Marble Valley, Mt Olive, and Goodwater. Its immediate track was a half mile wide destroying everything. The damage direction was about 20 degree north of east. Five miles north of Mt Olive, the destruction of property was very great. 16 farms were devastated and public roads were blocked. The storm passed about 2 miles north of Goodwater around 915 pm. In several places on the north side of the path, there seemed to be secondary whirls independent of the main one some 100 to 200 yards away. This storm was about 16 miles north of the one that occurred on May 1st, 1876.

The storm continued its destruction into Clay County. It blew down houses near Pinkeyville, passing through the southern portion of the county. Great timber damage was reported.

The tornado then passed between Wedowee and Roanoke blowing down a great many homes and killing two people.

Report Courtesy of Digitized by Google & American Meteorological Journal May 1885 Page 43