CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The National Weather Service says Tuesday's storm spawned an EF-0 tornado with winds of 75 mph that touched down in the Forest Park and Lake Park areas of Clayton County.
Weather Service officials said the storm that touched down was part of a line of strong to severe thunderstorms that moved east across north and central Georgia Tuesday afternoon, producing multiple areas of wind damage, mostly across Central Georgia.
Their report was based on ground surveys conducted by National Weather Service meteorologists, along with local and county emergency management personnel.
The tornado touched down about 1.7 miles north of the city of Riverdale at 1:33 p.m., and moved across the ground for 3 miles before lifting up 0.8 miles south-southeast of Forest Park at 1:39 p.m. The tornado was about 100 yards wide with peak sustained winds of 75 mph.
Several trees were snapped along Georgia Highway 85 north of Riverdale. The tornado also ripped a few shingles off of an apartment building and uprooted several trees as it moved to the north-northeast.
Other trees were uprooted off of Pineridge Drive between Virginia Circle and Ash Street.
Severe weather on Feb. 12, 2019
Along School Lane, several large tree limbs fell on a house.
Some minor damage was reported in the Ellenwood area, but officials said they do not believe that was associated with the tornado.
The classification of the strength of tornadoes are based on the "Enhanced Fujita Scale," which runs from EF-0, with winds of 65-to-85 mph through EF-5, with winds above 200 mph, as listed below:
- EF-0 - Weak - 65-to-85 mph
- EF-1 - Weak - 86-to-110 mph
- EF-2 - Strong - 111-to-135 mph
- EF-3 - Strong - 136-to-165 mph
- EF-4 - Violent - 166-to-200 mph
- EF-5 - Violent - Above 200 mph
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