2019 Beauregard tornado
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Meteorological history | |
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Formed | 2:00 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00), March 3, 2019 |
Dissipated | 4:16 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00), March 3, 2019 |
Duration | 76 minutes |
EF4 tornado | |
on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
Highest winds | 170 mph (270 km/h) |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 23 |
Injuries | 97 |
Damage | >$500,000 (2019 USD) (Damage estimates only covers tornado while in Georgia.) |
Areas affected | Eastern Alabama, especially Lee County; Western Georgia. |
Part of the Tornado outbreak of March 3, 2019 and Tornadoes of 2019 |
On the afternoon of March 3, 2019, a violent and long-tracked
The tornado first touched down at 2:00 p.m.
Meteorological Synopsis
A week before the event took place, the
Tornado Event
Alabama
A
One minute later at 2:07 PM CST, the tornado reached its peak intensity immediately south of the intersection of Lee County Road 36 and Lee County Road 39. Numerous large trees snapped at their bases, as well as large trees with very expansive root systems being uprooted and fallen. This area of trees was given a low-end EF4 rating, with estimated winds at 167 miles per hour (269 km/h). In this area, high-end EF3 damage was observed to numerous homes in the area. A manufactured home was rolled, and its contents were emptied nearby on the track's northern side. In addition, five homes within close proximity where all walls were collapsed, with debris tossed a short distance away from the foundation of the homes. A car was mangled beyond recognition, and the frame was wrapped around the stub of a snapped and debarked tree. The tornado passed over a small lake. Across the small lake, two houses were leveled. The debris was removed from the foundation. The anchor bolt screws remained intact on these homes. These two homes received a low-end EF4 rating with 170 miles per hour (270 km/h) winds estimated. Two other houses near the northern path of the tornado were also surveyed. There was considerable damage to these homes, and they received EF3 ratings. The storm crossed County Road 39 slightly weaker but still producing significant damage to numerous homes and trees in the area. The tornado paralleled C.R. 39, where two manufactured homes were demolished, and its debris being scattered. The metal frames of these homes could not be located. There was also severe timber damage to the north of the road. Here, only a badly metal frame to a mobile home remained. A mattress was wrapped a stub of a tree. Nearby a tractor trailer rig was on its side and shoved around a sturdy tree while a nearby site-built home lost nearly all of its exterior walls with debris remaining on or near the home site. There was also evidence of ground scouring here.[1]
The tornado then crossed SR 51 at high-end EF3 strength. Here, a double-wide manufactured home was moved off of its base and the exterior walls collapsed on a family residence. There was also severe tree damage with large trees being snapped at the bases. The tornado crossed nearby County Road 38, entering a heavily wooded area, causing significant tree damage. There was also some damage to surrounding homes. At this time, the National Weather Service upgraded the active PDS tornado warning to a rare tornado emergency, stating that a "large and destructive tornado was located near Griffen Mill, or 11 miles southeast of Auburn, moving east at 60 mph." A minute later, the tornado exited the wooded area after snapping several trees. It crossed County Road 100, causing significant tree damage and ripping the roof off of a house and shifting another house off of its foundation. It then crossed County Road 166, demolishing several manufactured homes in that area and continuing to produce significant tree damage.[1][15]
As the tornado progressed over a wooded area and reached County Road 165, a family residence suffered severe damage as the exterior walls were collapsed, and another home suffered severe roof damage. A mobile home was also flipped, and its debris scattered about. As the tornado continued moving northeastward, tree damage Continued to occur. It reached County Road 175, where a home suffered significant loss of
Georgia
The tornado crossed the Alabama/Georgia border at the Chattahoochee River 29 minutes after
The tornado weakened immediately after this back down to an EF1 intensity. A wide swath of hundreds of snapped and uprooted trees persisted along this portion of the track to the south and west of
The tornado crossed Ridgeway Road, located just to the north of Highway 315. EF2 damage continued to be reported in this location, with dozens of softwood trees being snapped at their bases. The tornado eventually ran into Highway 315 as the highway winds perpendicular to the tornado's path at this point. The tornado continued causing EF1 to EF2 damage to trees along a wide swath. At 3:54 PM EST, the tornado crossed into Talbot County, Georgia. The tornado continued its long swath of EF1 to EF2 damage. The tornado intensified again into an EF3 tornado, causing significant damage to a mobile trailer home, dozens of trees, and a two-story home. In addition, the Humble Zion Church was completely demolished. None of its brick and cinderblock walls were left standing. The tornado continued northeastward, weakening significantly. EF-1 wind damage was found consistently through forested areas in and around Hwy 315, along Callier Rd, O'Neal Rd, and Mitchell Rd. The tornado then approached Talbotton, Georgia, continuing to cause moderate tree damage and minor roof damage to homes that were in the path.[2]
At 4:03 PM EST, the tornado moved into the northern side of Talbotton. Trees were observed to be snapped going into town along Adams Road. The tornado intensified again as it headed into town. It intersected Washington Avenue, which is the main north–south road in the town. It caused high-end EF2 damage in this area with several manufactured homes turned over and destroyed, sometimes mangled. It was unrecognizable where these manufactured homes originally sat. The contents from inside of these homes were blown over a quarter mile from where the homes were originally located. A single-family home was removed and twisted at least 10 feet (3.0 m) off its foundation. The second story of this home was completely removed. The tornado then intensified further into an EF3 tornado, where two brick-and-mortar apartments were completely demolished. The slabs of these apartments were left completely bare after the tornado. Dozens of cars were also destroyed. Debris were blasted into the vehicles, and the windows were blown out. In addition, a sedan was overturned on to the side. Several homes lost roofs as well. The tornado continued moving northeast out of the town. Seven injuries were reported within the town. The tornado continued to be snapped and uprooted as it moved out of town and into wooded areas. Another manufactured home was overturned. The tornado moved into a small valley, snapping hundreds of trees. A few final trees were snapped at the end of the tornadoes life. Finally at 4:16 PM EST about 10.5 miles east-northeast of Talbotton, Georgia, the tornado lifted.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Beauregard-Smiths Station Tornado - March 3, 2019". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 3, 2019 Tornadoes". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "Alabama Tornado the First EF4 in U.S. Since 2017; Deadliest Since Moore, Oklahoma, EF5 Tornado in 2013 | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Narramore, Jen. "Beauregard-Smiths Station (AL)-Talbotton (GA) EF4 Tornado – March 3, 2019 – Tornado Talk". Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "Alabama's Deadliest Tornadoes". AL.com. March 4, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Songer, Joe. "Photos of the destruction caused by the Lee County tornado that killed at least 23 people". al. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "SPC Severe Weather Event Review for Sunday March 03, 2019". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ "Image". Archived from the original on 2021-04-16. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ "WPC surface analysis zoom, pan, animation and archives". www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov.
- ^ "Storm Prediction Center Mar 3, 2019 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "Storm Prediction Center Mesoscale Discussion 141". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Storm Prediction Center Tornado Watch 7". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Storm Prediction Center Tornado Watch 8". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Smith. "Storm Prediction Center Mesoscale Discussion 145". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ a b c herzmann, daryl. "IEM :: Valid Time Event Code (VTEC) App". mesonet.agron.iastate.edu. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
Notes
- ^ The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) classifies the current day as "Day 1", and the next day (Tomorrow) as "Day 2", all the way up to 7 days out "Day 8".
- ^ Significant tornado parameter is an equation that takes into account CAPE, shear, helicity, and moisture. It gives out a number. The higher the number the higher chance that there will be a significant tornado.