The damaging storm that struck Trion Monday afternoon was not a tornado, according to the National Weather Service, but rather a downburst, likely a wet microburst, capable of producing winds estimated at 60 to 70 mph.
Trion residents are cleaning up this morning following a strong thunderstorm that caused widespread damage across the town Monday evening.
Trion Police Chief David Gilleland told WZQZ News Monday night that the damage was extensive, with numerous trees and limbs brought down across town.
Damage was reported in front of Mount Vernon Mills and along Simmons Street, Town Hall Drive, Marsh Avenue and Pine Street, as well as several other locations. Crews had already cleared the area in front of the mill when Gilleland spoke with WZQZ shortly before 7:45 PM.
One of the more significant areas of damage was at the Trion Recreation Department, where a large tree came down near the tennis courts.
Gilleland told WZQZ the falling tree took out the entire fence surrounding the tennis courts.
Some residents along side streets also experienced power outages Monday evening, although power remained on at Trion School following the storm.
Most importantly, Gilleland said no injuries had been reported as of Monday night.
Photos taken around Trion following the storm showed large trees and limbs down near homes and along roadways.
There was no immediate confirmation that a tornado was responsible for the damage. The storms that moved through the area were capable of producing strong, damaging wind gusts.
Crews were working Monday evening to clear trees and debris and assess the extent of the damage.
Chattooga County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay today, Friday, August 21, due to a power outage affecting the Lyerly area.
The delay comes after thunderstorms moved through Northwest Georgia overnight, leaving multiple widespread power outages across Chattooga and Floyd counties.
Georgia Power is reporting numerous outages across the region this morning, with one of the largest outages affecting the Lyerly area.
The overnight storms brought heavy rain, lightning and gusty winds to portions of Northwest Georgia, resulting in power interruptions as residents began their Friday morning.
Because of the outage in Lyerly, Chattooga County School System officials made the decision to delay the start of school by two hours.
Parents, students and school employees should plan for school operations to begin two hours later than the normal Friday schedule.
Georgia Power crews are working to restore electricity to affected customers across Chattooga and Floyd counties.
Residents should use caution around any downed trees or power lines and should never approach or attempt to move a downed electrical line.
WZQZ News will continue to provide updates on the power outages and any additional schedule changes as information becomes available.
Kevin Godfrey and Lacey Gilreath with Godfrey’s Tree Service have organized a GoFundMe campaign to help a Trion family whose home was heavily damaged during severe storms on July 4, 2026.
A sweeping new insurance reform measure signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp is expected to bring significant changes for Georgia homeowners, drivers and insurance companies.
Georgia Power is asking state regulators to approve a plan that would charge customers $912 million over the next four years to recover costs tied to Hurricane Helene and other major storms. The proposal, filed with the Georgia Public Service Commission, would add about $4.42 per month to the typical residential bill based on 1,000 kilowatt-hours of usage, with higher-use households likely paying more.
Chattooga County Commissioner Andy Allen said Tuesday that a barn on his farm was destroyed after being struck by lightning during storms overnight.
Allen and his wife, Whitney, said the lightning strike hit a fence charger, which sparked the fire that resulted in the barn being a total loss.
In a statement, the Allens thanked the Gore Fire Department and Hays State Prison firefighters for their quick response.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank Gore Fire Department and Hays Prison on their quick response and professionalism that they showed early this morning,” the statement said. “During the storms last night lightning hit our fence charger which sparked a fire and our barn was a total loss.”
The Allens said firefighters worked quickly to ensure the fire was fully contained and did not spread to their nearby horse barn.
“We appreciate their efforts and kindness,” the statement concluded.
With icing possible in the region, local insurance agent Butch Eleam is reminding residents that many insurance companies not only allow, but encourage homeowners to take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage after a storm.