Stats
Path length: 14.8 miles
Width: 500 yards
Fatalities: 3
Injuries: 152
Rating: F3
County: Fulton
Tornado Path
Click Map To Enlarge
SPC coordinates: Start: 33.77 / -84.53 End: 33.90 / -84.33
Note: Exact tornado path may not be straight and/or continuous.
Summary
It is called the “Governor’s Tornado.” The twister moved 14.8 miles through parts of Fulton County, GA, on March 24, 1975. It began in West Atlanta, moved to the northeast at approximately 50 miles, and ended in the Brookhaven Area. It hit an industrial area, two large apartment complexes, several businesses, and hundreds of “fine homes.” It also hit the Governor’s Mansion located off West Paces Ferry Road. 550 families were reported homeless. The damage was estimated at $56.5 million.
Newspaper Clippings
Discrepancies:
We gathered information for this event from the SPC & NCDC Databases, the March 1975 Storm Data Publication and Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes and found the following differences:
Path Length:
- SPC/NCDC have the length at 14.8 miles.
- Storm Data has a 12.6 mile path.
- Grazulis lists a 13 mile path.
Width:
- Grazulis lists the width at 400 yards.
- All other sources list a 500 yard width.
Sources:
March 1975 Storm Data Publication
Monthly Weather Review Article about the event from August 1976
Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Page 1173.
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