Georgia tornado strongest of the year in US with winds up to 185 mph, NWS confirms

BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. — The National Weather Service estimates that a tornado that left one woman dead in southeast Georgia earlier this month was the strongest one to hit the U.S. this year.

The tornado hit Pembroke, Georgia, in Bryan County on April 4.

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Belinda Thompson, 66, was killed and 12 people were injured. Thompson was found outside of a leveled mobile home.

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On Friday, the NWS issued a report confirming that the tornado was a powerful EF-4 storm with peak winds of 185 mph. The twister started in Pembroke and was on the ground for nearly 13 miles before dissipating.

In addition to leaving people injured, the tornado caused massive damage to trees and homes.

The storms also brought heavy flooding to parts of metro Atlanta, where they also downed trees.

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A tornado near Winterset, Iowa, was previously the most powerful storm of the year, with winds of up to 170 mph. That storm killed six people.

The highest rating for tornadoes is a rating of EF-5, which have winds of higher than 200 mph.

Neighbors assess damage in central Georgia left by likely tornado Toppled trees, collapsed roofs and sharp debris were a common sight in the neighborhood after storms left a long path of destruction.

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