The March 20, 2003 tornado
F3Mitchell and Worth counties, Georgia
An F3 tornado on a 25.0-mile path that killed 6 and injured 200. It was one of 5 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day.
Watch how it happenedF3 tornado · March 20, 2003
How it happened
Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.
The tornado
- Rating
- F3
- Fujita scale
- Path length
- 25.0 mi
- Width up to 600 yards
- Killed
- 6
- Along the whole path
- Injured
- 200
- Along the whole path
- Date and time
- Thursday, March 20, 2003
- 5:05 AM EST
The National Weather Service account
Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.
An F2 tornado touched down near Branchville, and traveled northeast. Its path was similar to the February 14, 2000 tornado. The tornado intensified to F3 as it passed just south of Camilla, then weakened as it neared the Mitchell-Worth County line. The tornado destroyed 66 homes, and damaged 200 homes and businesses. Numerous trees and power lines were down. At least three dozen roads were closed by debris. The tornado claimed four lives and injured 200. The hardest hit area was in the Goodson Road area of Camilla. A state of emergency was declared for Mitchell County. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA and CAP/NWS aerial survey team.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
Counties on its path
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.