Ben Hill, GA Tornado Database

Ben Hill County, GA

Date	Time (LST)	F/EF-Scale	Length (Miles)	Maximum Width (Yards)	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage	Source*
4/30/1924	945 am	F2	n/a	n/a	0	3	$100,000	G
Two large homes and a dozen small ones were unroofed, shifted, or torn apart on the west side of Fitzgerald. Hundreds of trees were blown down.
4/12/1944	430 am	F2	20	150	0	4	n/a	G
Moved ENE, passing along the edge of "China Hill." A few rural homes were destroyed, and thousands of trees were uprooted. South of McRae, store goods were scattered for three miles.
4/15/1961	830 am	F1	2.3	100	0	0	$250,000	SD, SPC
6/14/1963	600 pm	F2	0.5	33	0	2	$250,000	SD, SPC
6/19/1967	345 pm	F2	0.9	33	0	0	$25,000	SD, SPC
5/28/1968	130 am	F1	2	36	0	0	$25,000	SD, SPC
1/15/1971	130 pm	F1	0.8	30	0	0	$25,000	SD, SPC
4/25/1982	310 pm	F0	1	30	0	0	$25,000	SD, SPC
12/5/1982	215 pm	F1	0.2	20	0	0	$25,000	SD, SPC
2/22/1983	345 pm	F1	2.5	50	0	0	$250,000	SD, SPC
5/16/1983	900 am	F1	3	100	0	0	$250,000	SD, SPC
11/24/1992	1215 pm	F0	8	20	0	0	$25,000	SD, SPC
12/25/2006	630 am	F2	11.3	100	0	0	$300,000	SD, SPC
The tornado touched down four miles east of Fitzgerald just south of Georgia Highway 206 and U.S. Highway 319. There were several areas along its northeasterly track where trees had been twisted off at approximately 15 feet above ground level. Debris from the initial touchdown was discovered three miles due north. The tornado touched down four times as evidenced by the sporadic damage. Two homes were destroyed, two homes were heavily damaged, and three irrigation pivots were destroyed. The tornado finally lifted at an old recreation area known as Red Bluff where roof damage was reported.
4/13/2009	1140 am	EF1	2.9	100	0	0	$200,000	SD, SPC
A tornado touched down about two miles southwest of Fitzgerald near the municipal airport. It destroyed a barn, and blew a batting cage across a field. It also uprooted or snapped numerous trees and blew down signs. The tornado continued on a northeast path into portions of downtown Fitzgerald. The brick facade of a building collapsed. Much of the damage was caused by fallen trees. The tornado was classified an EF1 with winds estimated between 80 and 90 mph.
12/17/2019	1154 am	EF2	9.34	400	0	0	$100,000	SD, SPC
The initial touchdown occurred in an un-reachable area of Irwin County approximately nine miles west of Ocilla. The survey team relied on radar data to estimate the touchdown location. The first area the damage assessment team could access was along Ponderosa Road just north of Wood Rd . where dozens of pine trees were snapped and a farm had several outbuildings damaged. Damage...consisting of snapped trees, destroyed outbuildings and damaged irrigation machinery...then continued along a widening path heading east-northeast toward the Mystic community. Damage was significant in Mystic. Several homes suffered serious roof loss and a couple brick buildings were nearly destroyed . Debris including concrete chunks was thrown hundreds of yards into a nearby field. There were hundreds of snapped and uprooted trees of all kinds in the area. Damage was well into the EF-2 range here with max winds estimated at 125 mph, and the damage path widened to near 400 yards. Continuous damage...mainly downed trees and damaged barns...persisted along a wide path as the tornado continued moving east-northeast. The next area of significant damage was noted in a neighborhood south of Fitzgerald, Georgia at the intersection of Vo Tech and Old Whitley Crossing Roads . More than a dozen homes suffered major roof damage here with several experiencing complete loss. A couple RVs were rolled over and heavily damaged . The tornado continued moving northeast eventually crossing into Ben Hill county along Highway 319. Several more homes suffered roof damage, many barns were destroyed and hundreds of trees were snapped. The last evidence of damage was to a barn and trees along Partridge Road approximately 2.5 miles east of the Ashton community. Damage cost was estimated.
*Sources	G - Grazulis, T. P., 1993: Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films, Tornado Project, St. Johsnbury, VT. SD - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1950-2009: Storm Data. National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC. SPC - Storm Prediction Center Database