24/7 Emergency Service
History of Bartow County’s Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
2/28/2020 (Permalink)
Let SERVPRO of Bartow County make water and storm damage "Like it never even happened." Call SERVPRO of Bartow County today, we are open 24/7!
Bartow County is a pretty great place to live, in SERVPRO of Bartow County’s opinion. The school systems are above average when compared to the rest of the state. Average cost of living is comfortably lower than the average median income, so residents tend to have a modest disposable income. That can be invested in the community in different ways like opening a business, continuing your education, as well as purchasing leisure and luxury items. In 2000, the population growth rate was around 33% which was almost triple the us average. Today, Bartow County is still growing very quickly in large part due to the healthy local economy, favorable business environment and availability of skilled and well paying jobs.
The weather can be a bit unpredictable at times in Bartow County but a wise person once said “variety is the spice of life”. Plus, with today's weather trends what county doesn’t have some variations in weather or unexpected weather events? The average temperature is a very comfortable and temperate 60.0 °F, and receives around twelve inches more rainfall than the national average (Nat. avg. thirty-nine inches). This combination of temperate climate and plentiful rainfall makes Bartow County bountiful agriculturally. This is why many agricultural businesses, from sod farms to soybean fields, choose to call Bartow County home.
Like most places, Bartow County has its fair share of extreme weather. Some might say more than it fair share…15,193 extreme weather events (from 1950 to 2000), to be exact. Bartow County’s risk of tornado damage is, on average, higher than both the state and national averages. Around eighty-eight tornadoes of F-2 magnitude or greater have hit Bartow County since the 1950’s. Let's take a little closer look at some of the more notable tornadoes that have hit Bartow County.
(*Data cited was gathered by USA.com, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Tornado Project Online, and the National Weather Service from 1950-2013)
H1>Storm Damage Cleanup and Restoration
- 24-Hour Emergency Service
- Faster to Any Size Disaster
- Highly Trained Water Restoration Technicians
- A Trusted Leader in the Water Restoration Industry
- Locally Owned and Operated
Dangerous storms, high winds, torrential rainfalls, even rising flood waters are no match for SERVPRO of Bartow County. While we can't stop terrible weather events from happening, we are more than prepared to help you pick up the pieces afterwards and can make it "Like it never even happened," by returning your property to preloss condition. SERVPRO has earned a great reputation in the restoration industry, and because of this SERVPRO has become one of the nation's largest and most well recognized water restoration companies. SERVPRO of Bartow County is your locally owned SERVPRO franchise and is proud to serve the Cartersville, Acworth, and greater Bartow County area. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and have technicians available to respond at any hour of the day or night. If you experience storm damage call SERVPRO of Bartow County today!
Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today (770) 387-7455
Bartow County Major Tornado History
Jan. 30th 2013 - On January 30th, 2013 in Adairsville, GA near the crossing of Snow Springs Rd and Rock Fence Rd NW, an F-3 Tornado touched down just after 11:00 am EST. The tornado carved a path of destruction approximately 900 yards wide and just over five miles long hitting Downtown Adairsville with peak power winds of 160 mph. Property damages ranged into the neighborhood of sixty million dollars. Reports show that 30 homes were destroyed, 110 suffered major damage, and 70 sustained minor damage. An additional 95 structures were damaged (31 destroyed, 17 majorly damaged, and 47 with minor damages) totaling well over 350 homes impacted by the storm. The tornado injured nine and claimed the life of one resident.
**Video account of this tornado
Dec. 22nd 2011 - On December 22nd, 2011 in Adairsville, GA near where Woodward Creek runs into Silver Springs Park a tornado was spotted at 5:05 pm EST. This tornado was not particularly strong, registering a zero on the F-Scale (or Fujita Scale), but was part of a larger network of storms that developed in quite powerful tornadoes ranging from F-0 to F-3 magnitude. This tornado was around 440 yards wide and stayed in contact with the ground for just over one and a quarter miles. The network of storms was made up of six different tornadoes that spanned over Floyd, Gordon, Bartow, Coweta, Gilmer, Northern Fayette, and Southern Fayette Counties. Miraculously, only a single home and a barn were completely destroyed during these tornado events. A handful of homes and a church were damaged by trees falling on them and several roadways were temporarily blocked by downed trees, but all and all the storms did not cause that much damage to property. Property damages related to the Bartow county tornado totaled approximately $150,000. No injuries and no deaths were reported as a result of the storm.
Apr. 27th 2011 - On April 27th, 2011 in Taylorsville, GA an F-1 tornado touched down close to Euharlee Rd SE and Alford Rd SE at 8:10 pm EST. Ten minutes later and about fifteen mile northeast, another tornado hit Bartow County. This time a F-3 tornado touched down near the intersection of Griffin Rd NW and Joe Frank Harris Pkwy in Cartersville, GA. The tornado in Taylorsville was about 880 yards wide and traveled just under three and a quarter miles on the ground causing minimal damage due to Taylorsville’s rural nature. No people were injured or killed during the storm, and around $250,000 in damages were reported by homes and businesses. Cartersville was not as lucky facing it’s F-3 tornado which was about the same width but traveled over fifteen miles damaging populated urban areas with wind speed in excess of 155 mph. Because the Cartersville area is more developed and more densely populated, damages were estimated around $15 million. Twenty-five residents were injured but thankfully, no one was killed during the storm.
Mar. 15th, 2008 - On March 15th, 2008 a series of tornadoes popped up all over northern Georgia. About three and a quarter miles west-northwest of Taylorsville an F-3 tornado entered Bartow County traveling a total of eleven miles in contact with the ground at just under 900 yards wide, across the southern Bartow County ending near the intersection of Alabama Rd SW and Hwy. 61 in Cartersville. Again due to Taylorsville’s rural nature, only a few homes rooftops were damaged by falling trees along Popham Rd. in Taylorsville. Several high voltage power transmission lines and towers were knocked down or damaged by falling trees and the Georgia Power Plant off of Hwy 113 was also damaged during the storm. Moving closer to Cartersville both Taylorsville Elementary and Woodland High school suffered heavy damage along with several surrounding businesses. No injuries or deaths were reported in Cartersville or Taylorsville as a result of the storm system.
Nov. 11th, 2002 - On November 11th, 2002 in Kingston, GA a F-2 tornado with wind speeds up to 100 mph touched down near Barnsley Gardens off of Barnsley Garden Road. The width of the tornado varied from one hundred yards wide to five hundred yards wide in the Clear Creek Road area and traveled along a west-east path twelve miles long crossing Pleasant Valley Road and two major Highways (Hwy 41 and Hwy 75). In the tornado’s path was over a dozen homes which suffered major structural damage and a barn, seven commercial chicken houses, and an estimated 7,500 chickens were completely destroyed. The tornadic activity was so severe the governor at the time, Roy Barnes, declared a state of emergency for Bartow County as well as four other counties affected by storms in Georgia. Over $1.5 million in damages were reported but thankfully no deaths or injuries.
Apr. 4th 1989 - On April 4th, 1989 a F-2 tornado hit an area which now hosts a popular boating resort called Holiday Harbor and Resort in Acworth, GA on Allatoona Lake. Luckily at this time (1989), the area was largely undeveloped so only $250,000 in property was damaged and no people were harmed during the storm. This tornado was a concentrated and short lived twister that only traveled two miles in contact with the ground and was only one hundred and fifty yards wide. The tornado ran out of steam close to the intersection of Northpoint Pkwy SE and North Drive SE in Acworth, GA.
Apr. 26th 1982 - On April 26th, 1982 a F-2 tornado formed along the intersection of Hwy 113 and Hwy 61 in Cartersville, GA. This area was largely underpopulated and undeveloped at the time. The tornado traveled five miles carving a path three hundred yards wide causing only $250,000 of property was reported damaged. The tornado’s path ended in Cartersville along Old Mill Rd, where the modern day Cartersville Gardens Apartments are located.
Apr. 5th, 1974 - On April 5th, 1974 a F-2 tornado was sighted near the intersection of Sandtown Rd and Allatoona Pass Rd SE in Emerson, GA. The tornado traveled north-east almost four miles carving a swath approximately one hundred and fifty yards wide until it reached George Washington Carver Park in Acworth, GA. Property damage was minimal and no reports of injury or death as a result of the storm are on record. Many trees were toppled but developed areas were left unscathed.
Jul. 19th 1970 - On July 19th, 1970 a F-2 tornado was spotted near the intersection of Sugar Valley Rd SW and Mission Rd SW in Cartersville, GA. This tornado was largely uneventful only touching down in twenty yards areas over a distance of half a mile and causing around $25,000 in property damage.
Dec. 5th 1954 - On July 5th, 1954 a F-2 tornado touched down near the intersection of Aragon Rd. and B.D. Trail in Taylorsville, GA. It traveled over seven miles carving a five hundred yards wide path through forest and farmland, east-northeast toward the intersection of Cartersville Highway and Picklesimer Rd SW in Cartersville, GA. Property damage was estimated at $25,000 and no reports of injuries or death are on record.