visible satellite during active storm reports
Visible Satellite 18:00Z on 2012-03-03. Satellite images are derived from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet of Iowa State University.

Tornado Reports

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Time Rating Radar State County Location Narrative
12:15Z EF0 KTLH GA Miller Jeterville An NWS storm survey confirms that an EF0 briefly touched down on Cooktown Road. Damage occurred to one home with the tin roof and front porch torn off. Several pine trees were also snapped and uprooted. Maximum winds were estimated around 85 mph with a width estimated around 25 yards. The path length was estimated to be approximately 0.25-0.30 miles. Monetary damage was estimated.
13:30Z EF0 KTLH GA Decatur Vada An NWS Storm Survey confirmed that an EF0 tornado touched down near Vada Road and moved northeastward with intermittent damage before lifting about 5 minutes later. An attached garage of a home was destroyed along with a farm equipment shed. A car was also flipped. Maximum winds were estimated around 80 mph. Monetary damage was estimated.
14:25Z EF0 KTLH FL Gadsden Wetumpka Between 20 and 25 trees were blown down in a small area near the Bear Creek Educational Forest. The damage was consistent with an EF0 with maximum winds around 80 mph. A witness claims he saw the tornado. The tornado touched down in a rural area and no structural damage occurred.
17:56Z EF2 KTLH GA Lowndes Barretts An NWS Storm Survey confirmed that an EF2 tornado occurred in Lowndes county, then moved into Lanier county where it strengthened into an EF3 with maximum winds around 140 mph. The path width was estimated to be around 390 yards wide with a path length in Lowndes county of slightly over 4 miles long. In Lowndes county, the tornado likely initially developed along Cat Creek Road. Several reports were received of funnels from this location while the event was ongoing. There was a house near Cat Creek Road that had uprooted trees on the property with one or two impacting the house. Trees were generally blown down to the northeast, although a street sign was bent to the ground facing to the northwest. A few trees were also blown down along a tree line across the road. At that point, the tornado entered a more heavily forested area with no access roads. However, an aerial flyover by emergency management confirmed sporadic tree damage and a continuous damage path in that area. After the tornado cleared this forested area, the damage path began to widen and the tornado damage increased in intensity. Along Arapaho Trail, about a half mile south of Highway 122, the first instance of EF2 damage occurred as a mobile home was completely destroyed with debris blown downstream, mainly into fencing on the property. Also in this location, a shed was completely destroyed, a camper was flipped, part of the roof of a house was removed, and a silo was destroyed with the debris found resting on the opposite side of the house from where it started. Debris from locations along Arapaho Trail were found well downstream, in some cases at least one third of a mile. Along the next cross street - Peters Road - mostly EF1 damage was observed with snapped and uprooted trees and some broken windows in houses. The survey team found a tree sitting on the ground with a root ball at the end, but could not locate the hole or source of the tree within at least several hundred yards. Along Peters Road gouges were observed in the ground as some debris began to impact the ground. As the tornado crossed Bemiss Road (Highway 125) near Walkers Crossing, the damage path began to reach its widest phase. The maximum width of the tornado was estimated to be around 390 yards or 0.22 miles based on the damage survey. Additional EF2 damage was observed on both sides of the road with wooden power poles snapped, hardwood trees snapped or uprooted, and several homes damaged. A second abandoned home was pushed six feet off the concrete foundation. Maximum winds along this part of Bemiss Road were estimated to be around 125 mph based on damage. Also near these homes, there were deep gouges in the ground, including this one that was close to 1 foot deep and 6 feet long. Large debris also continued to be found along the damage path, including strips of metal that were twisted around damaged trees. The tornado then continued east-northeast, crossing Highway 122 near Barber Road into Lanier county. The Lowndes county emergency manager estimated property damage for Lowndes county at around $250,000 with an additional $100,000 in crop damage from fallen pecan trees.
18:00Z EF3 KTLH GA Lanier Teeterville This is a continuation of the tornado that occurred in Lowndes county. This tornado strengthened to EF3 status while in Lanier county with maximum winds estimated around 140 mph. The tornado entered Lanier county along Highway 122 near Barber Road and then impacted a property just north of 122 along Boyette Road. As the tornado approached Boyette Road, it was likely reaching maximum intensity. Radar reflectivity showed a signature known as a debris ball and gave forecasters high confidence that a tornado was in progress, despite an actual tornado not having been reported yet. The damage at the aforementioned location was severe. A mobile home was completely destroyed with debris scattered for hundreds of yards in many directions. This site was originally unrecognizable as a mobile home to the survey team. A few trees at the location were almost totally debarked. A one story residence also had some roof and window damage, a small grain silo was completely destroyed, and a large shed structure was completely destroyed with debris swept well away from the original location. Other things were noted around this location. There were quite a few instances of objects driven into the ground, including metal bars, gutters, branches, and other debris. There was some ground scouring noted, and many of the shrubs were ripped out of their original spots. Large debris was lofted for hundreds of yards including what appeared to be a hatch door from the missing grain silo, a door off of a chest freezer, and a mower and propane tank. The main part of the chest freezer was found across the street. Near the location of the large shed structure that was swept away, an electric meter was ripped out of the ground, and additional deep gouges were found in the ground. The tornado continued to the east-northeast, cutting a clear path through some dense forest in the swampland to the south of Highway 122 and to the west of Banks Lake. Around that time, the damage path began to narrow as the tornado approached the town of Lakeland. Once in Lakeland, the tornado largely caused damage to trees and vegetation, although some structures were impacted. A mobile home was completely destroyed, a nearby full shipping container was rolled about 50 feet, and some debris was driven through metal. Near the end of the tornado path it impacted the hospital in Lakeland, pushing a trailer away from its original location and damaging the ambulance station. Some antennas were also snapped at the hospital, and some damage was reported to the AC units on the roof. Damage in Lanier county was estimated at around $500,000.

Storm reports are derived from "The Storm Events Database" (National Centers for Environmental Information) and/or "Past Storm Reports" (Storm Prediction Center).