EF-3 Tornado Confirmed at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay on 12/2/2018

Public Information Statement

National Weather Service Jacksonville FL

530 PM EST Wed Dec 5 2018

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 12/02/2018 KINGS BAY/CUMBERLAND ISLAND

TORNADO...

Rating:                 EF-3

Estimated Peak Wind:    144 mph

Path Length /statute/:  7.5 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   900 yards

Fatalities:             0

Injuries:               4

Start Date:             12/02/2018

Start Time:             3:10 PM

Start Location:         4 WNW Dungeness / Camden County / GA

Start Lat/Lon:          30.78 / -81.55

End Date:               12/02/2018

End Time:               3:20 PM

End Location:           5 ENE Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay /

                        Camden County / GA

End Lat/Lon:            30.82 / -81.44

Survey Summary: National Weather Service Jacksonville Storm Survey

revealed  damage consistent with EF-3 tornado damage at Naval

Submarine Base Kings Bay, which was confirmed by a 125 knot / 144

mph maximum wind gust measurement from a docked Coast Guard

Vessel. This is the strongest tornado in recent memory within the

National Weather Service Jacksonville's area of responsibility in

southeast Georgia, northeast and north central Florida. Four

injuries were reported by officials at Naval Submarine Base Kings

Bay. The tornado continued on an east-northeast path across

Cumberland Island, beginning from Old House Creek and exiting into

the Atlantic waters just south of the Stafford Beach Campground.

The tornado path across Cumberland Island was estimated by

Cumberland Island National Seashore park rangers to be

approximately one-third to one half mile wide. Significant tree

damage occurred within the tornado path across Cumberland Island,

with no structural damage reported. The main park road and several

trails on Cumberland Island were left impassable by the tree

damage.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the

following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph

EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph

EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph

EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph

EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph

EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE:

The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to

change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS

Storm Data.