PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1042 PM EDT TUE APR 14 2009

...TORNADO CONFIRMED IN MCINTOSH COUNTY GEORGIA...

LOCATION...3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOWNSEND GEORGIA
ESTIMATED TIME...440 PM THROUGH 457 PM EDT
EF-SCALE RATING...EF-1
ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...AROUND 100 MPH
PATH WIDTH...770 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...8 MILES

INITIAL TOUCHDOWN OF THE TORNADO OCCURRED SOUTH OF THE CREDIT HILL
COMMUNITY OF BRIARDAM ROAD AROUND 440 PM EDT...WHICH IS LOCATED
ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOWNSEND. THE TORNADO TRAVELED TO THE
NORTHEAST ACROSS AN OPEN FIELD AND PRODUCED EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE
TO VARIOUS PINES AND HARDWOODS. THE TORNADO CROSSED BRIARDAM ROAD
AND STRUCK THE FIRST CREDIT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH...LIFTING AND
DESTROYING ITS LARGE FRONT END PORCH. BOTH THE TREE AND STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE TO THE CHURCH ARE CONSISTENT WITH AN EF-1 TORNADO ON THE
ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE WITH WINDS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 100 MPH.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEAST WHILE SKIRTING THE
GROUND IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS. THE TORNADO CROSSED HIGHWAY 57 AND
PRODUCED TREE AND FENCE DAMAGE TO SEVERAL AREAS ALONG CHURCH OF
GOD ROAD...BEFORE CROSSING INTERSTATE 95 AROUND MILE MARKER 61
WHERE ADDITIONAL TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE TORNADO APPEARS TO HAVE
LIFTED AROUND 457 PM EDT SHORTLY BEFORE REACHING HIGHWAY 17 NEAR
THE INTERSECTION WITH TRAMM ROAD.

$$