Power Outage in Kite, GA

The same QLCS that produced the tornado east of Adrian also spawned another tornado at about the same time about 3.75 miles west of Kite. This tornado intensified quickly after it formed about 500 yards southwest of the intersection of Meeks Rd and|Midas Brantley Rd reaching 105 mph peak intensity as it moved east-northeast, ripping off the carport of a ranch-style brick home and tearing off 1/3rd of its roof. Several large trees and power poles were snapped near this intersection. A stop sign was|bent over. As the tornado traveled east-northeast it took a slight left turn into the southwest and south portion of the city of Kite causing significant damage to about 20-30 homes, mostly roofs. Numerous outbuildings were destroyed. Hundreds of trees|were snapped or uprooted. A baseball field sustained heavy damage to the concession building, fencing and stands. At the cemetery on the east part of the city, three 500 lb 8 by 4 foot granite monuments originally laying face down were lifted up by the|pressure forces induced by the winds and flipped over. [4/6/22: Tornado #5, County #1/2, EF-1, Johnson/Emanuel, 2022:025].

The Johnson County Emergency Management Director reported that dozens of trees and a number of power lines were down throughout the county. However, the majority of the damage was between Meeks and Kite in the southeast part of the county. Georgia Highway 15 was blocked from downed trees in Wrightsville. More than hundred residents of the county were left without power for several hours following the storms.

The Johnson County Emergency Management Director reported that at least seven trees were down between Wrightsville and Kite. Two trees fell on and destroyed a batting cage on private property in Wrightsville. A tree in Kite fell on an unoccupied vehicle. Most of the downed trees were around Wrightsville. Power was out in much of the county for about two hours.

A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that yet another tornado had touched down within Johnson county. This tornado was an EF2 and touched down in far eastern Johnson county, about one mile northwest of Kite and continued on an east-northeastward track into Emanuel county, crossing into Emanuel county just west of the city of Blundale. Maximum winds within the tornado were estimated to be 130 mph and the maximum path width was determined to be up to 1/2 mile wide. As the tornado touched down northwest of Kite, a mobile home was rolled and several other homes and vehicles were damaged along U.S. Highway 221 north of Kite. The most significant damage occurred about three miles north of Kite, along Minton Chapel Road, where a mobile home was completely destroyed and the debris thrown up to 50 feet away. Three injuries were reported as a result of the destruction of this mobile home. An additional indirect injury occurred later when a tree fell on an individual during debris clean up. A well constructed metal building in the same general area sustained substantial wall, frame, and column anchor failures. A number of trees and several power lines were downed along the path of the tornado as well.

The Johnson County Emergency Management Director reported that many trees were down from Wrightsville to Kite. The most concentrated area of damage was in the Kite area. In addition to numerous trees and power line down in the Kite area, including some on roads. a canopy was blown off a gas station in Kite.

An aerial and ground survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that the second tornado that originated in Laurens county five miles southeast of Dublin tracked northeast to east-northeast across northeast Laurens county into Johnson county, approximately three miles north of Kite, and then continued on an east-northeastward track lifting about five miles southwest of Kite. The overall tornado path length was 19 miles, of which approxmiately five miles fell within Johnson county. The maximum tornado path length was 100 yards with maximum winds estimated at 100 mph. The majority of the damage along this portion of the tornado path occurred just north of Scott, where several homes sustained minor to moderate damage. A church in this area sustained minor damage and a family life center suffered considerable damage when it was shifted slightly off its foundation. Elsewhere along the tornado path within Johnson county, damage was confined mostly to trees and some power lines.