FORSYTH, Ga. — The National Weather Service is wrapping up its report on the tornado that hit Monroe County early Monday morning
Ahead of the release of the full report, they say that based on preliminary information, it appears the tornado was a high-end EF-2 or low-end EF-3.
Based on the Enhanced Fujita scale (EF-Scale), which rates the intensity of tornadoes in some countries, the threshold between an EF-2 and an EF-3 is around 135 mph.
It was sunny on Monday when 13WMAZ was at the scene in Monroe County, but the uprooted and broken trees told a different story.
We found Sonny Hopper near the intersection of Collier and Smith Road. Hopper and her family took cover at a neighbor’s home for around 30 minutes, and came out to find their home had been destroyed by the storm.
Three massive trees fell and one crashed through the roof. The sheriff’s office said that Collier Road was one of the hardest hit areas in the county.
11Alive, 13WMAZ’s sister station in Atlanta, also spoke to a man that had been buried under farm equipment and debris during the storm.
The tornado hit his home and in a matter of seconds turned it into a pile of debris. He was pinned under it for about 40 minutes until he was found.
The sheriff’s office, EMS, and the fire and rescue team had to cut through trees on the road to reach him.
They also found his dog, Kaia, alive 10 hours later.
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