An Examination of a Complex of Strong Tornadoes During the January 12, 2023 QLCS Tornado Event in North and Central Georgia

On January 12th, 2023, a quasi-linear convective system with embedded tornadic supercells moved and into an environment highly favorable for severe weather over central Georgia and produced 14 tornadoes, some of which were long-tracked and significant. The most significant tornadoe(s) tracked through Meriwether, Pike and Spalding counties including the city of Griffin, GA. This complex of tornadoes resulted in nearly 1500 homes and structures being damaged or destroyed, 18 injuries, but fortunately, no fatalities.

The damage path width was estimated to be over 2 miles wide in several locations despite an abundance of widespread damage indicators estimating wind speeds at or below 110 mph (high end EF1), with only a few pockets of damage estimating wind speeds in the EF2 and EF3 range. Detailed analysis of the event, using multiple ground survey teams, radar analysis from a close-proximity WSR-88D, and Gray Sky high-resolution aircraft imagery, was performed by NWS meteorologists and concluding that multiple tornadoes rotated around a large, singular mesocyclone simultaneously resulting in interwoven, trochoidal damage paths on the ground. Additionally, it was found that these tornadic circulations converged on several occasions and usually resulted in increased, localized damage and estimated wind speeds. The most extreme instance occurred after 3 individual tornadic circulations merged in rapid succession resulting in estimated 155 mph maximum estimated wind speeds (low end EF3). It was also concluded that as many as 4 tornadic circulations were on the ground simultaneously within the larger mesocyclonic convective complex.

This examination will analyze how the Meriwether, Pike and Spalding county complex of tornadoes unfolded and how this complicated phenomena was messaged to NWS partners and the public before, during, and after the event. We will also demonstrate how the importance of post-event analysis such as these can build trust between the NWS, our partners and the public, a key element in building a Weather-Ready Nation.