Thunderstorm Wind in Cherokee County, Georgia

The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director conducted a survey of extensive thunderstorm wind damage across south central Cherokee county in the Towne Lake area, just west and northwest of Woodstock. The damage area, oriented from northwest to southeast, was bounded on the northwest by Eagle Watch Drive and Running Deer Parkway on the southeast, or about one mile west Interstate 75. It was concluded that the damage was caused by thunderstorm downburst winds between 58 and 65 mph. Damage was very extensive with 800 to 100 trees either blown down or snapped in half. Many of the trees fell on residential homes causing significant damage. All together, 196 homes were damaged, 14 sustaining major damage and 132 with minor damage.

The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director reported that 35 homes sustained minor to moderate damage along a 2-mile wide path from downtown Woodstock to seven miles east of Woodstock. Two additional homes were damaged southwest of Canton, where a substantial portion of the roof was blown off one home seven miles southwest of Canton. Debris from the damaged homes near Woodstock was found on Interstate-575 at Exit 16, causing the interstate to be closed until the debris could be cleared from the roadway.

The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director reported that dozens of trees were down across the county from strong straight-line thunderstorm winds, including areas around Waleska, Ball Ground, Canton, and Woodstock. A total of 15 homes across the county were damaged from downed trees, including two with major damage and four others with moderate damage. A middle-aged female was injured at one of the badly damaged homes when a large pine tree fell on her home. Amateur radio operators reported that the back wall of a building on Cherokee Drive in Ball Ground was blown down. Widespread power outages were also observed, especially in the Woodstock area.