Sumter County, Georgia

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet a third EF1 tornado touched down in Sumter county. This was a long-lived tornado and tracked across three counties, Sumter, Crisp, and Wilcox, for an approximate path length of 33 miles. This tornado touched down in far southeast Sumter county in the Cobb community and crossed Lake Blackshear into Crisp county about three miles east-southeast of Cobb. The tornado was determined to have a maximum path width of 200 yards with maximum winds estimated at 100 mph. Within Sumter county, one home was destroyed and 45 suffered minor to moderate damage. The damage was largely the result of downed trees on the structures. Two to three dozen trees and several power lines were down along the path of the tornado.

A National Weather Service survey found that an EF1 tornado with maximum wind Speeds of 95 mph and a maximum path width of 325 yards touched down in a residential area on the northeast side of Americus. Damage began along Pineview Drive, just south of Fire Station #3, where a few smaller trees were snapped or uprooted and a few shingles were pulled off of a house. The tornado rapidly strengthened as it moved north northwest crossing Crawford Street (Highway 49) and moved along Wanda Way and Sharon Drive with numerous medium-sized trees either uprooted or snapped. As the tornado continued northwest, significant damage to trees occurred between Sharon Circle and Pine Avenue. In this area, several homes sustained damage, with several severely damaged by large falling trees. This is where maximum wind speeds were estimated at 95 MPH. Several additional trees were snapped or uprooted along Railroad Street before the tornado dissipated. In all, more than 40 residences sustained some visible damage. No injuries were reported. [8/17/21: Tornado #1, County #1/1, EF-1, Sumter, 2021:015].

The Sumter County Emergency Management Director considerable damage near the Americus Wal Mart at the corner of U.S. Highway 280 and Feldar Street. In addition to many trees and power lines down in the area, considerable damage was noted to several buildings and property in the general area. A Goodwill drop off box was turned over as well as several truck bed covers which were blown over and about. To the southeast of Americus, several trees and power lines were down along Brady Road. Part of the roof was blown of the Textron building and a wall of the same building collapsed. Another building at Caravel Boats also sustained roof damage. The liners of three trucks at a nearby Ford Dealership were blown near 1500 feet to the east and landed on Sherwood Road. The emergency manager indicated that the wind was caused by strong straight line winds and not a tornado.