NOUS42 KFFC 301929
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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
329 PM EDT Fri May 30 2025
...NWS Damage Survey for 05/29/25 Tornado Event...
..Henry County Tornado...
Rating: EF2
Estimated Peak Wind: 135 mph
Path Length /statute/: 1.82 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 200 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 2
Start Date: 05/29/2025
Start Time: 03:31 PM EDT
Start Location: 2 NE Luella / Henry County / GA
Start Lat/Lon: 33.3766 / -84.1499
End Date: 05/29/2025
End Time: 03:36 PM EDT
End Location: 2 SSE Blacksville / Henry County / GA
End Lat/Lon: 33.4 / -84.1361
Survey Summary:
An EF2 tornado with maximum winds of 135 mph quickly developed
during the afternoon hours of May 29, 2025. A storm which had a
history of very weak and broad rotation moved into southern Henry
County and quickly spawned a tornado as it crossed Bethlehem Road
at approximately 3:31pm EDT. Just north of Bethlehem Road, a few
trees were downed to indicate where the tornado first touched
down. As the tornado tracked northeast, it quickly intensified to
EF1 strength, snapping and uprooting trees in a wooded region
behind several homes along Curry Ridge in the Laurel Creek
Subdivision. The tornado reached maximum intensity as it reached
Fresh Laurel Lane in the subdivision. Several homes sustained EF1
damage near the end of the road including significant loss of
siding and shingles, windows blown out, and in one instance,
partial collapse of the roof/wall structure. The last home along
the street is where the tornado reached maximum intensity of EF2.
The home was completely destroyed with the exception of a small
interior closet on the first floor where the clothes were still
hanging. Both occupants of the home were injured, one critically
when he was thrown 287 feet from the house into the nearby woods
according to Henry County EMA. The home demonstrated strength in
the construction with attached baseboards including the use of
clips, however the failure point was in the wall attachment where
the wall studs were only nailed into the baseplate. While a high
end EF2 tornado is determined for this point, there was not enough
evidence to support a higher rating of EF3. Debris was thrown
hundreds of yards to the east and the northeast from the home
including significant portions of the roof, clothing, and a metal
pipe used in A/C unit. To the northeast of the destroyed home, all
the trees that remained in a field being cleared were snapped and
uprooted consistent with high end EF1 and low end EF2 damage. The
tornado continued to the Northeast crossing Academic Parkway
through an apartment complex where EF0 to low end EF1 damage was
noted to the trees and buildings in the area. The tornado then
crossed Interstate 75 at approximately 3:34PM per numerous cell
phone video of the tornado. Trees were downed on the southbound
lane of I75. As the tornado approached Hwy 42, there were several
uprooted trees on the back of an industrial building and a few
trees snapped in the front. The tornado crossed Hwy 42 and began
to weaken with only minor tree damage noted in and around a large
industrial building. The tornado lifted as it crossed Distribution
Drive where small branches and leaf debris was noted. Both radar
and ground truth confirm that the tornado had significantly
weakened as it reached Distribution Drive. The tornado was very
short lived and only on the ground for 1.8 miles and 5 minutes,
but demonstrated how quickly a strong tornado can develop.
&&
EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:
EF0.....65 to 85 mph
EF1.....86 to 110 mph
EF2.....111 to 135 mph
EF3.....136 to 165 mph
EF4.....166 to 200 mph
EF5.....>200 mph
NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in
NWS Storm Data.
$$