Strong thunderstorms ripped quickly through Cherokee County on Monday evening, but left minimal damage and no serious injuries.

The line of thunderstorms, which crossed into the county at about 4:15 p.m., brought heavy rain, high winds, hail and rotating air, but no tornadoes.

At 4:32, the severe thunderstorm warning was upgraded to a tornado warning in Cherokee County after rotating winds were spotted. The storms moved southward out of the county by 5:15 p.m., and the warning was lifted after 6 p.m.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services reported on Tuesday morning that 911 calls indicated several fallen trees and power lines because of straight-line winds across the county.

A preliminary report from the Cherokee Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management released on Tuesday said falling trees caused the majority of property damage - estimated at $300,000.

Of four homes that were cited with major damage, two were labeled uninhabitable. About 15 other homes received minor damages.

A business and a church also received minor damage.

The southern and southwestern portions of the county received the worst of the thunderstorm line. The most severe damage was reported west of Woodstock in the Kellogg Creek Road and Bells Ferry Road areas.

Using National Weather Service wind speed estimation guidance, the wind speeds along Kellogg Creek Road were estimated at 65 miles per hour, reported Robby Westbrook, director or emergency management.

Similar wind speeds were also reported in other isolated areas around the county.

Chad Geist of Southeast Restoration Group said he removed two trees on Monday night and Tuesday morning that had fallen on houses in southwest Cherokee during the storm.

Renee Cornelison, deputy director of emergency management, said one reason for the storm's minimal destruction was county cooperation.

"I think all agencies worked well together to be able to get the warning out to the public as soon as possible to take appropriate measures," she said.

Dan Darbe, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said with temperatures expected to be higher than normal this spring, an active thunderstorm season is possible.

"We are still going to get cold fronts that may not carry much rain," he said. "But the clashing of unstable air masses may give us several of these events where we have lines of thunderstorms coming through quickly."