GORDON COUNTY JOINT AGENCY MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, May 26, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
At approximately 10:45 a.m. Wednesday morning, (May 24), north-central Gordon County was impacted by a fast moving storm system which spawned two (2) very weak and short-lived tornadoes. According to National Weather Service (NWS) officials from Peachtree City, the first tornado touched down at 10:47 a.m. approximately one mile east of Resaca near the intersection of Swan Drive and Fite Bend Road. This tornado, classified as an EF (“Enhanced Fujita Scale”) 0, was estimated to have had maximum winds of seventy-five miles per hour (75mph) , leaving a track of approximately about seventy yards wide and .03 mile long. Several trees were uprooted and branches snapped before the tornado dissipated.
The second tornado, also classified as an EF 0, touched down at 10:50 a.m. about three and one-half (3 ½) miles northeast of Resaca along the Nickelsville Road (State Route 136). This tornado had maximum winds of seventy-five miles per hour (75mph), leaving a track about ninety (90) yards wide and .03 mile long. Several large trees were “snapped” (broken in half) and damage was reported to the roof of one dwelling house and one small barn. This tornado crossed the Nickelsville Road before dissipating.
County Emergency management officials responded to access and evaluate damage, along with NWS officials. Deputy sheriffs responded to several reports of trees having been blown over into roadways and assisted work crews with the tree removal. There were no reports of injuries.
This was a very fast moving system; the NWS issued a Tornado Warning for north Gordon County at 10:48 a.m. resulting in no warning time for the first tornado and only two (2) minutes for the second tornado.
Tornadoes were reported in surrounding counties as a result of this same storm system.
SHERIFF MITCH RALSTON DIRECTOR COURTNEY TAYLOR
Gordon County Sheriff’s Office Gordon County Emergency Management Agency