Most of southeast Georgia escaped damage from the weekend storm system passing through.
Ware County, Brantley County and Pierce County were pelted with rain and strong, gusty winds late Saturday (March 15) and into Sunday (March 16) afternoon.
At least 40 people in seven states have died amid the severe weather outbreak. At least 12 deaths were reported in Missouri, the most of any state.
Ware County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Daniell said his office didn’t receive any reports of damage around the county from the weekend’s wind and rain.
“I think (storm) did more of a northeastern turn (in Georgia) when it got over this way,” Daniell said. “We didn’t have anything reported.”
Official rainfall in Waycross-Ware County was 1.85 inches from 11:55 p.m. Saturday, March 15 to 11:55 p.m. Sunday, March 16, according to the weather website Wunderground. com. Highest sustained winds were 24 mph with gusts as high as 32 mph during the period.
“I saw some people who posted (on social media) about three inches in their gauges,” Daniell said. “I think that was more to the south of us. I know there were a couple of spots around the swamp that had some pretty good storms.”
The canals through Waycross were running rapidly late Sunday afternoon, but well within their banks. The level of the Satilla River at the Ware-Pierce County line was higher than normal at that same time from the late morning and afternoon rain, but nowhere near a flooding situation.
The canals had receded by Sunday evening, and the river level was down Monday morning.
Brantley County Sheriff Len Davis reported two trees falling across power lines. The sheriff said he had heard reports that up to four inches of rain fell across the county.
Plenty of small debris was scattered along the roads of the Winokur community in northern Charlton County along Hwy. 301. Tree branches and limbs littered people’s yards.
“We had some damage in the north end of the county and the Winokur community,” explained Charlton County Sheriff Robert Phillips. “We had one house that was hit. A section of the house was torn loose.”
The sheriff added much of the damage was concentrated in small areas while plenty of loose debris and water accumulated in other areas.
