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

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

Bibb 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 Bibb County...
An EF2 tornado touched down near Lizella. The tornado then tracked northeast to the south shore of Lake Tobesofkee then continued into Macon and lifted near Dry Branch near the Twiggs County line. The tornado did not produce a continuous path...but did produce sporadic areas of major damage. Widespread straight-line wind damage was also produced along and south of the track of the tornado. The most significant damage was in the city of Macon especially along Eisenhower Parkway and Pio Nono Avenue where 2 businesses were destroyed and several others sustaining heavy damage. Macon State College was also hit by the tornado...snapping or uprooting 50 percent or more of the trees and doing significant damage to several buildings on campus with the gymnasium sustaining the worst damage. This tornado varied in intensity from EF0 to EF2 with the EF2 damage and winds up to 130 mph occurring near the intersection of Eisenhower Parkway and Pio Nono Avenue. Total path length was 18 miles with a path length of 100 yards.

Samples of Damage Seen During Survey ( click images to enlarge )
Aerial photo of damage along Governor MacDonald - Pineworth Rd.	Aerial photo of damage along Governor MacDonald - Pineworth Rd.	Aerial photo of damage to elementary school.
Aerial photo of damage to a Home Depot store.	More roof damage.	More roof damage.
Aerial photo of damage along Pio Nono Avenue.	Advanced Auto store demolished.	Damage to Carpet Outlet on Pio Nono Avenue.
Damage to Home Decor on Pio Nono Avenue.	Damage to cemetary.	Trees down on home.