VALDOSTA — A tornado touched down in Lowndes County Sunday during the violent weather outbreak, a weather service forecaster said.
The twister ranked as EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with winds of 86-110 miles per hour, said Parks Campa, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in Tallahassee, Fla. The Enhanced Fujita Scale runs from EF0 (65-85 mph) to EF5 (more than 200 mph).
“Touchdown was at 7 a.m. west of I-75 near North Valdosta Road,” he said. The tornado tore through Stone Creek Golf Club before lifting off along Val Del Road, Campa said.
A weather service ground team investigating the area Tuesday found mostly downed trees, though some outbuildings and barns were also damaged, he said.
Campa said there were no reports of injuries related to the Lowndes tornado.
Twisters tore across Thomas, Berrien, Brooks, Lowndes and Cook counties in the morning hours, killing at least 11 people. Four more have been confirmed dead in Dougherty County.
One tornado hit Thomas County and moved into Brooks before lifting off. Another tornado touched down near Barney in Brooks County, shredding a trailer home and killing a couple before strengthening and hitting a mobile home park in Cook County, killing seven.
The tornado then slammed Berrien County, killing another couple when a tree crushed their home.
Gov. Nathan Deal planned to tour storm-ravaged regions of Cook County Wednesday.
By Terry Richards terry.richards@gaflnews.com Jan 25, 2017
Photo: File art
