Recalling a 'need to see it to believe it' event when a house survived a tornado

Randi MannDigital Reporter

There were 41 tornadoes that caused 23 deaths.

This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by Chris Mei from The Weather Network, featuring stories about people, communities and events and how weather impacted them.

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On Sunday, March 3, 2019, 41 tornadoes broke out across the Southeastern United States.

Over six hours, tornadoes ranging from EF0 to EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, raged across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina causing 23 deaths and 103 injuries.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) slowly saw the threat of these tornadoes come to life. On February 28th, they issued a severe thunderstorm warning across a large region of southeastern US, from northern Louisiana to northwestern Georgia.

EF3 damage to an unanchored brick duplex in Talbotton, Georgia

EF3 damage to an unanchored duplex in Talbotton, Georgia. Courtesy of Wikipedia

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On March 1st, the SPC narrowed the region and issued an enhanced risk warning across areas of southeastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia. On March 2nd, the SPC warned that tornadoes were likely.


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On the morning of March 3rd, a mid-level cyclone in the northern jet stream headed eastward over northern Ontario and James Bay. The first of 41 tornadoes broke out at 6:55 pm in Chatom, Alabama. A lot happened between those two events. To learn more, listen to today's episode of "This Day In Weather History."

Car wrapped around a tree in Beauregard, Alabama

A Tornado caused a car to wrap around a tree in Beauregard, Alabama. Courtesy of Wikipedia

There was one EF4 that started just west of Beauregard, Alabama and diminished in Macon, Alabama, travelling 1,500 m at 110.61 km/h.

It was a violent tornado. It ripped across two states. The tornado tore through a subdivision in Waverly Hall, Georgia, during one part of the EF2 damage. Below are aerial photos of the area before and after the tornado hit. Somehow, the tornado completely missed the home in the middle of hundreds of downed trees.

before tornado

The before-tornado shot of a two-story home in Waverly Hall, Georgia, on Mar. 3, 2019. Courtesy of Google Earth

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after tornado

The after-tornado shot. The tornado nearly destroyed the area around the house but completely missed the home. Courtesy of Matt Gillespie via YouTube)

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Thumbnail courtesy of Matt Gillespie via YouTube