Fort Stewart, GA EF-1 Tornado - February 3, 2016

Damage Path

Click on image to enlarge

Damage Pictures

Images courtesy of NWS Charleston, SC; Click on images to enlarge

Radar Imagery

KCLX WSR-88D Radar base reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) shows the storm at the time of tornado formation.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
508 PM EST FRI FEB 5 2016

...TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR HINESVILLE IN LIBERTY COUNTY GEORGIA...

LOCATION...HINESVILLE IN LIBERTY COUNTY GEORGIA
DATE...02/03/16
ESTIMATED TIME...5 PM EST
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...105-110 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...300 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...5.7 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...31.87/81.63
ENDING LAT/LON...31.92/81.56
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...0

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON SC HAS CONFIRMED A
TORNADO AT FORT STEWART IN LIBERTY COUNTY GEORGIA ON 02/03/16.

A TORNADO BEGAN NEAR GATE 7 OF THE FORT STEWART BASE COMPLEX...
LIKELY NEAR EF0 STRENGTH. THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST AT
APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE BASE. MUCH OF
THE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE BASE WAS EF0 TO HIGH END EF1.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE STARTED AT THE TAYLORS CREEK
GOLF COURSE...THEN STRETCHED EAST-NORTHEAST THROUGH A SMALL
NEIGHBORHOOD TO DIAMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SEVERAL LARGE PINE
TREES WERE UPROOTED AND/OR SNAPPED THROUGHOUT THE GOLF COURSE AND
NEIGHBORHOOD AREA. APPROXIMATELY 6 TO 10 HOMES WERE HEAVILY
DAMAGED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD DUE TO LARGE PINE TREES FALLING
ON THEM. ONE HOME HAD NEARLY 75 PERCENT OF THE ROOF REMOVED...
BUT THE ROOF WAS NOT STRAPPED DOWN TO THE WALLS...WHICH KEPT
THE STRENGTH RATING TO EF1.

THREE CARS WERE ROLLED OVER OR MOVED APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET
IN THE PARKING LOT OF DIAMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL
HAD ROOF DAMAGE ON ONE CORNER OF THE GYMNASIUM. AS THE
TORNADO CONTINUED TO MOVE NORTHEAST IT SNAPPED MANY TREES AND
DOWNED POWER LINES ALONG HERO ROAD...NEAR EISENHOWER VILLAGE.
AFTER THIS POINT...THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST INTO A
HEAVILY WOODED AREA WITH SPORADIC SNAPPED TREES AND DOWNED
LIMBS UNTIL LIFTING NEAR HIGHWAY 144. THE TORNADO LASTED
APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 12 MINUTES BEFORE DISSIPATING AT
HIGHWAY 144.

TOTAL DAMAGE REPORTED ALONG THE PATH OF THE TORNADO INCLUDED
APPROXIMATELY 42 HOMES...150 TO 200 VEHICLES...AND 8 UNIT
FACILITIES WITHIN OR NEAR FORT STEWART AREA.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/CHS.

FOR REFERENCE...THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES
INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

EF0...WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.
EF1...WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.
EF2...WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.
EF3...WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.
EF4...WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.
EF5...WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.

$$

DPB/RFM