A brief EF1 tornado with 95-mile-per-hour winds on Sunday, Dec. 29, damaged Cobb County homes on Corral Drive and Bridal Path. According to the county, several residents were displaced, and two people received minor injuries.

An EF1 tornado is a classification on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which measures the intensity of tornadoes based on the damage they cause. The EF scale ranges from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest).

An EF1 tornado has wind speeds ranging from 86 to 110 miles per hour (138 to 177 kilometers per hour). While these tornadoes are considered moderate in strength, they can still cause significant damage.

On Tuesday afternoon, a National Weather Service (NWS) survey team visited the area as part of a metro-wide sweep and determined that a tornado had hit it.

The 0.26-mile path of the tornado is indicated in the image below from the Cobb County website.

“This is an example of how everyone needs to stay aware of hazardous weather even when no warnings are issued,” said Cobb Emergency Management Director Cassie Mazloom.  “We are fortunate no one was seriously injured.”

The county included this message to the public in the announcement:

Cobb County Emergency Management’s damage assessment reporting form is still active, and they are asking anyone who has property damage from the storm to visit the Damage Assessment Reporting Form

About the National Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NWS describes its role as follows:

The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. 

These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.