Tallahassee, FL
Weather Forecast Office
Overview
During the March 3, 2019 severe weather event, 12 tornadoes were confirmed through field surveys within the NWS Tallahassee area of responsibility. The strongest tornado was rated EF-3 in Leon/Jefferson County, Florida. This was only the second F3 or EF-3 to affect Leon County since 1945. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee would like to extend our appreciation to the many emergency management, law enforcement, and fire rescue personnel that assisted in these field surveys over the last three days.
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GOES-16 Geocolor Imagery (with streetlight map background at night) of the March 3rd Tornado Outbreak | Region wide overview of the tornadoes that struck portions of the Tallahassee National Weather Service Forecast Area. | GOES-16 Infrared Imagery of the March 3rd Tornado Outbreak |
Tornado Information
For the radar data in the summaries below, all radar data is assumed to be base (0.5 degree) data unless otherwise noted.
Tornado - Baum Rd, FL
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Cairo, GA
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Geneva County near Slocomb, AL
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Apalachicola National Forest, FL
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Fort Gaines, GA
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Eufaula Ave, AL
Track Map ![]() ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Eglin AFB, FL
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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The NWS Office in Tallahassee appreciates the support of the officials at Eglin Air Force Base for their support in surveying the damage that occurred on their portions of the base. |
Tornado - Alford, FL
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Brinson Road, GA
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Spring Creek Road, GA
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Quincy, FL
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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Tornado - Urbana Road, GA
Track Map ![]() Downloadable KMZ File |
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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
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Photos & Video (Photos will be added as they become available)
Baum Rd, FL Tornado - Leon County
Home with EF-3 damage at the tornado's strongest point which occurred west | Additional damage near Steeds Run | Additional damage along Steeds Run | Additional damage along Steeds Run |
Additional EF-3 damage just east of those above. | Additional damage | Electrical transmission lines snapped off Jefferson Rd. | Home damage near Mahan Rd. |
Cairo, GA Tornado
East side of Monrovia Nursery as tornado moved northeast into Cairo | Damage southeast side of Cairo as tornado moved into town. | Manufactured home slid off its foundation as tornado neared heaviest part of the damage in town. | Roof completely gone. Center of the EF-2 damage and strongest point in the Cairo tornado |
Destroyed car port next to house with missing roof. | Back of home with strongest damage | A common sight in the town of Cairo. A majority of the damage was trees and from trees falling into homes. | Roof damage in Cairo northeast of strongest damage. |
Geneva County, AL Tornado Near Slocomb, AL.
Damage along New Teamon Rd near where the tornado is estimated to have formed. | Damage to a manufactured home as it was shifted off its foundation. The stairway led to the home's original height. | Same damage to back of manufactured home. Addition to home destroyed by the tornado. Damage occurred just north of Mozell Rd. | Strongest point of damage along Mozell Rd and the tornado. Winds blew out garage door and gained easy access to garage to lift roof off house. |
Manufactured home next to damaged house lifted off foundation, rotated, and displaced intact (mostly) 10 to 20 feet away. | Manufactured home displaced off its foundation. | Part of metal roof (very sharp) thrown 18 inches into the ground. A reminder flying debris is extremely dangerous in tornadoes. | Another manufactured home further east lifted off foundation and displaced 5 feet. Extensive roof damage. Just off State Rd 103. |
Fort Gaines, GA Tornado
Trees uprooted off County Rd. 49 where tornado is estimated to have formed. | More uprooted trees east of Fort Gaines, GA. | More uprooted trees near the end point of the tornado just northeast of Zetto. |
Eufaula Ave, AL Tornado
Damage pictures below are from portions of the tornado that crossed our forecast area. Please see the complete NWS Peachtree City report and the NWS Birmingham Office report for more pictures. |
Trees snapped as tornado crossed State Road 39. East of the Walter F George Reservoir | Tree damage as the tornado crossed just south of the intersection of State Road 27 and Graddy Rd. |
Eglin AFB, FL Tornado
Damage pictures below were provided courtesy of Sandy Williams at the Eglin Air Force Base Natural Resources Department. |
Tree snapped on Eglin Air Force Base. | More tree damage on Eglin Air Force Base | More tree damage as the tornado crossed Interstate 10 near exit 85. | Minor tree damage just southwest of Defuniak Springs where the tornado is estimated to have dissipated. |
Alford, FL Tornado
Trees snapped around the estimated starting location of the tornado. Damage occurred along Kent Rd. | Additional trees snapped along Kent Rd. | Damage to manufactured home along Alford Rd. | Structure damage along Vickery Rd north of Alford/Cypress Creek Rd. |
Structure damage along Family Ct. north of Cypress Creek Rd. | Roof torn off manufactured home just off Seay Rd north of Syfrett Rd. | Roof turn off structure around the estimated end point of the tornado. |
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Tallahassee, FL
1017 Academic Way
FSU, Love Bldg, 4th Floor
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4509
850-942-8833 (person) or 850-942-8851 (recording)
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