The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed what many witnesses were already saying, some emphatically: the strong storm that struck north Gainesville Friday night (see picture) was a tornado.
After an in-person survey of the damage, meteorologists say it was an F1 tornado with an estimated peak wind of 90 mph. Its path covered 2.75 miles, and its maximum width was 150 yards. There were no fatalities and no injuries.
The report says it began at 6:55, which is about the time Hall County 911 began getting calls about it, county EMA Director Zach Brackett said Friday night. The end time, the NWS said Sunday, was 7:04, five miles ESE of Murrayville. Bracket also said Sunday, regarding the damage, “there were several structures that received damage from trees falling along with several docks that were reported to have been flipped over and/or damaged.”
THE SURVEY SUMMARY:
A rogue mini-supercell produced a relatively brief tornado over the northern part of Lake Lanier, just several miles north of Gainesville, in Hall County during the early evening hours Friday, May 2nd. Fortunately, the tornado, which was on the ground for about 9 minutes (~2.7 miles), traveled mainly overwater between coves and bluffs along the lake.
Much of the damage was to various trees that were either snapped or uprooted. Initial damage was noted off of Thompson Bridge Road (Hwy 60) near Lakewood Baptist Church where at least 10-15 large trees were uprooted in a narrow path. Across Hwy 60, additional trees were down across an apartment complex along N Cliff Colony Drive.
The tornado then went over the lake/water where numerous eyewitness (video) accounts were starting to come in.
The next point of damage was near the west-end of Basin Road where several trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornado continued to travel generally north going over mostly water and an uninhabited bluff/island.
Significant damage occurred over The Bluffs along Cochran Road and Willow Trace. Here, at least 5-7 residences had several large trees snapped or uprooted. Thankfully, no structural damage happened. In this area, and back early in the tornado’s track, tree damage is consistent with peak winds around 90 MPH (an EF1) rating.