Mother's Day Tornado Outbreak in Georgia - May 11, 2008

Mother's Day Tornado Outbreak in Georgia - Damage Photos
May 11, 2008

Carroll County

Mother's Day 2008 will be remembered by many in Georgia as a day of fury by Mother Nature. Severe thunderstorms plowed through portions of North and Central Georgia during the morning hours of May 11, 2008 resulting in damaging wind, large hail and several tornadoes. At least one person was killed by a tornado and several were injured. The damage was so extensive in some areas that Governor Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in six Georgia counties, and some schools were closed for a couple of days.

in Carroll County...

Widespread damage occurred along 25-mile long and 3 mile wide path Of damage....primarily due to straight-line winds. Two brief EF2 tornadoes occurred in Carroll County along this path of damage. The first EF2 tornado occurred at 408 am in the community of Jonesville approximately two miles east of where the straight- line wind damage commenced. The roofs were completely blown off two homes and numerous trees were down in the area. The second EF2 tornado occurred at 425 am near Diamond Court Subdivision...off Cross Plains Hulett Road where two homes received significant damage...one completely destroyed...and a number of homes with minor to moderate roof damage. The path length and width of both tornadoes were 100 yards and were on the ground around 1 to 2 minutes.

Outside the two EF2 tornadoes...widespread tree and roof damage from straight-line winds was noted all along Georgia Highway 166 from west of Carrollton...near Bowden...eastward to western Douglas County near Fairplay. The Carroll County Emergency Services facility sustained moderate damage. Damage continued eastward along Georgia Highway 166 toward the Douglas County line...mainly in the form of downed trees and minor roof damage all along the path. At various locations along this path...damage extended up to three miles to the south...but this was determined to be straight-line wind damage.

The damage from this tornadic and straight-line wind event extended into south Fulton County where tree damage was noted just north of Fairburn...along South River Road in Douglasville and along Highway 92 in the Chestnut Ridge subdivision. The damage was concluded to have been caused by straight line winds in south Fulton County.

Samples of Damage Seen During Survey ( click images to enlarge )
Home nearly demolished.	Structure demolished.	Aerial view of damage to homes and trees.
Tornado's path through a wooded area.	Aerial view of damage to home and tornado's path through wooded area.	Aerial view of damage to homes in a subdivision.