Cottonton, AL to Roberta, GA EF2 Tornado – February 17, 2008

23 tornadoes occurred on February 17, 2008, across the Southeast.  A long-track tornado (75.63 miles) moved from Russell County, AL, into five Georgia counties.  It ended near Roberta in Crawford County.  Here are some highlights from the Storm Data Publication on what happened in each county.

Russell County, AL:

The tornado developed near the intersection of US Highway 431 and CR-51 in the county’s southern portion. It tracked northeastward to the Chattahoochee River near the Cottonton community before crossing the river into Georgia.  The most significant damage was located near CR-12.  At least two mobile homes were destroyed, and two frame houses received significant damage.  Numerous trees were either snapped off or were uprooted along the path. At least one vehicle was flipped over.  Four injuries were reported.

Stewart County, GA:

An aerial survey conducted by the National Weather Service and the Georgia State Patrol determined that a tornado, which moved out of Russell county Alabama, continued into far northwestern Stewart county.  It weakened to an EF0 tornado as it crossed into far northwest Stewart county just northwest of Omaha.  It then paralleled the Chattahoochee River and the Alabama border for over nine miles before finally crossing into Chattahoochee county. The path width was estimated to be 50 yards wide.  Damage was minimal and confined mainly to downed trees and a few power lines.  One county vehicle was damaged near Omaha when a tree fell on it.  Much of the track of the tornado remained within swampland along the Chattahoochee River.

Chattahoochee County, GA:

The tornado continued into Chattahoochee county just south of Jamestown.  It tracked across U.S. Highway 27 near Cusseta and then to the Marion county border at Georgia Highway 137.  The tornado path length was over 12 miles long with a maximum path width of 100 yards.  Numerous trees and power lines were blown down along the spotty damage path of the tornado.  A single-wide mobile home was rolled at a mobile home park community south of Jamestown, but no injuries were reported.  Widespread power outages were observed in the Cusseta area.

Marion County, GA:

The tornado entered Marion county about three miles northwest of Union, where Georgia Highway 137 touches the Chattahoochee county line.  It continued on an east-northeastward track across the county exiting into Taylor county across Georgia Highway 127/240C, about one mile south of Mauk.  The tornado passed about five miles north of the county seat, Buena Vista, crossing Georgia Highway 41 at that point. The estimated tornado path length was approximately 18 miles with a maximum path width of 100 yards.  Numerous trees and power lines were blown down along the spotty damage path of the tornado. Several large trees were uprooted at the Johnson Cemetery.  The most significant damage occurred to a manufactured home, which was heavily damaged, in the northeast part of the county near Five Points on Johnson Cemetery Road, just off Georgia Highway 240, or about two miles south of Mauk.  The home was destroyed, and a large barn behind the home suffered significant damage as well. The adjacent mobile home also sustained some damage. No injuries were reported within the county.

Taylor County, GA:

The tornado entered the county just south of Mauk at the intersection of the county line and Georgia Highway 127/240C.  It continued on an east-northeastward track across the county, exiting into Crawford county where the county line and Georgia Highway 137 intersect, east of Flickling Mill.  The tornado passed about three miles northeast of Butler, where two mobile homes off Georgia Highway 137 on Wainwright Road were destroyed, and three others were heavily damaged.  Numerous trees and power lines were downed along the spotty damage path produced by the tornado.  Reports of several funnel clouds and rotating wall clouds were received from storm spotters and the public in the Howard area.

Crawford County, GA:

The tornado entered the county five to six miles southwest of Roberta, tracked just north of downtown Roberta, crossed U.S. Highway 341, and continued to a point approximately four miles northeast of Roberta.  It finally lifted at this point.  It reached its strongest intensity while passing through Crawford county as an EF1.  The damage path was about ten miles long and at various points along the path was 250 yards wide.  The tornado destroyed nine structures and damaged three others, most of which were manufactured homes.  The most significant damage occurred along Walker Chapel Road and Felton Road, southwest of Roberta and northeast of the town along Salem Church Road.  Six injuries, two of which were critical, were reported from the damaged mobile homes in the area of Felton Road. Numerous trees and power lines were downed along the tornado path as well, particularly along Georgia Highway 137/128 southwest of Roberta.  While the supercell continued into Bibb county, the survey concluded there was no conclusive evidence that the tornado remained on the ground into Bibb county.