page_title: Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017
section_title: Albany–Ashburn–Rochelle, Georgia
hierarchical_section_title: Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017 / Confirmed tornadoes / Albany–Ashburn–Rochelle, Georgia
caption_attribution_description: English: A large-frame home had two portions of its structure collapsed and one portion slid off the foundation.
context_page_description: The tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017 was a prolific and deadly winter tornado outbreak that occurred across the Southeast United States. Lasting just under two days, the outbreak produced a total of 81 tornadoes, cementing its status as the second-largest January tornado outbreak and the third-largest winter tornado outbreak since 1950. Furthermore, it was the largest outbreak on record in Georgia with 42 tornadoes confirmed in the state. The most significant tornadoes were three EF3s that heavily damaged or destroyed portions of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Albany and Adel, Georgia. A total of 20 people were killed by tornadoes—mainly during the pre-dawn hours of the outbreak—making it the second-deadliest outbreak in January since 1950, behind the 1969 Hazlehurst, Mississippi tornado outbreak that killed 32 people. In the aftermath of the outbreak, relief organizations assisted in clean-up and aid distribution. Total economic losses from the event reached at least $1.3 billion.
  Non-tornadic impacts were also felt along the East Coast of the United States. Straight-line winds in Lake City, Florida killed one person when a tree fell on their home.
context_section_description: The most intense and longest lived tornado of the outbreak was a massive, rain-wrapped wedge tornado that began in southern Dougherty County, Georgia during the late afternoon hours of January 22. The tornado touched down at 3:15 p.m. EST (20:15 UTC) north of Newton. The first evidence of damage was at the intersection of Tarvis Road and Tarvis Lane, where the trunks of softwood trees were snapped (consistent with an EF1 tornado). From there, the tornado moved northeast at an average of 59 mph (95 km/h), causing EF2-level tree damage adjacent to Newton Road. Hundreds of large trees were snapped, twisted, and denuded in this area. Two homes sustained minor damage to their siding, gutters, and roofs. EF2 damage continued as the tornado entered Radium Springs, where several houses lost significant portions of their roofs and sustained damage to their porches. Many trees were snapped and uprooted, a poorly-constructed home on stilts was mostly collapsed, and a second house was shifted completely off its foundation and was severely damaged. A large retail building along the Liberty Expressway had cinder block exterior walls blown out, and wooden power poles were snapped.
  The tornado reached EF3 strength just past the Liberty Expressway as it impacted a one-story brick home, removing the roof and collapsing several exterior walls, snapping or uprooting almost all surrounding mature trees, and tossing a vehicle in the area. A few other homes in nearby neighborhoods also sustained significant structural damage. It then quickly weakened back to EF2 intensity as it completely destroyed the canopy of a service station, snapped large trees, tore the entire roof off of a restaurant, and severely damaged a large Procter & Gamble plant in Albany. Multiple anchored double-wide trailers were completely destroyed at the Marine Corp Logistics Base, and concrete light poles were snapped. Several semi-trailers were tossed and piled atop each other, and multiple other large metal industrial buildings sustained heavy damage in this area as well. A house also had much of its roof ripped off. A mobile home community was nearly completely destroyed, with multiple homes twisted and rolled off their lots.
  By 3:26 p.m. EST (20:26 UTC), the large and destructive tornado continued through southeastern portions of Albany, prompting a Tornado Emergency for Dougherty County. It re-attained EF3 as it caused significant damage to multiple structures in Albany. A well-constructed cement block church with hurricane straps and rebar reinforcement, as well as a well-constructed frame home, both had their exterior walls collapsed; damage at these locations was consistent with winds of approximately 150 mph (240 km/h), marking the tornado's peak strength. EF2 damage was inflicted to a small residence farther northeast, where large sections of the roof was ripped off. Near the intersection of N County Line Road and Harris Road, the wedge tornado once again regained EF3 intensity as it moved through several mobile home parks, destroying numerous manufactured houses; associated debris was tossed approximately 35 yd (32 m) downwind, and four fatalities were observed. A well-anchored triple-wide mobile home was completely swept away in this area, and a cinder block business was almost entirely flattened. A small church was leveled as well. In Worth County, north of Jewell Crowe Road, several homes sustained significant damage and many large trees were twisted and snapped. A large, well-built brick home sustained low-end EF3 damage in damage in this area as it had much of its roof ripped off and sustained some failure of exterior walls.
  As the tornado continued northeast, it completely destroyed an outbuilding and continued to snap or uproot hundreds of hardwood trees. EF1 damage was inflicted to a double-wide mobile home that had its roof ripped off, and to another outbuilding that had its walls collapsed. Despite the tornado's abrupt weakening, it again intensified to EF3 intensity near the intersection of Zion Church Road and Blue Springs Road, where a concrete blo
caption: A partially collapsed home northwest of Ashburn; damage here was rated as low-end EF3.
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