page_title: 2011 Super Outbreak
section_title: Ringgold, Georgia/Southeast Tennessee
hierarchical_section_title: 2011 Super Outbreak / Notable tornadoes / Ringgold, Georgia/Southeast Tennessee
caption_attribution_description: English: High-end EF4 damage to a large brick home in Apison, TN.
context_page_description: The 2011 Super Outbreak was the largest, costliest, and one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks ever recorded, taking place along the Southern, Midwestern, and Northeastern United States and leaving catastrophic destruction in its wake. The event not only affected Alabama and Mississippi the most severely, but also produced destructive tornadoes in Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, and affected many other areas throughout the Southern and Eastern United States. In total, 360 tornadoes were confirmed by NOAA's National Weather Service and Government of Canada's Environment Canada in 21 states from Texas to New York to southern Canada. Widespread and destructive tornadoes occurred on each day of the outbreak, with April 27 being the most active day with a record of 216 tornadoes touching down that day from midnight to midnight CDT. Four of the tornadoes were destructive enough to be rated EF5, which is the highest ranking possible on the Enhanced Fujita scale; typically these tornadoes are only recorded about once each year or less.
context_section_description: A violent multiple-vortex tornado struck portions of extreme northern Georgia and southeast Tennessee during the mid-evening hours of April 27. It touched down along Davis Ridge Road in Catoosa County, Georgia, and moved through the town of Ringgold at EF3 strength, destroying numerous homes and businesses. A Baymont Inn & Suites, located near Interstate 75 was partially destroyed by the tornado, along with a McDonald's, a Taco Bell, and several gas stations located on Highway 151 in Ringgold at the Interstate 75 interchange (exit 348). The Catoosa County Department of Family and Children Services and other businesses on Nashville Street in downtown Ringgold were also heavily damaged. The Kellerhals Center for Visual Arts Education at Ringgold High School was destroyed (RHS itself had minor damage), and Ringgold Middle School was heavily damaged. Past downtown Ringgold, the tornado reached EF4 intensity as it tore through a subdivision along Cherokee Valley Road at the north edge of town. Twelve homes were completely obliterated and swept away at that location (though they were not well-built). Several trees were denuded and debarked in this area as well. There were 74 destroyed homes and/or businesses, 60 with major damage, and 118 with minor damage for a total of 252 affected structures in the Ringgold area. Eight people were killed, mainly at the subdivision along Cherokee Valley Road.
  The storm then crossed the Tennessee state line at 8:28 p.m. EDT (0028 UTC), and moved into Hamilton County, Tennessee, striking the small town of Apison at high-end EF4 strength, where large homes were leveled or swept away, 150 others were damaged, and thousands of trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado then crossed into Bradley County at low-end EF4 strength, moving across the southern and eastern fringes of Cleveland and affecting mainly residential areas, though a few businesses were damaged or destroyed as well. Subdivisions in the southern part of the city sustained major damage, with numerous houses destroyed and a few that were leveled. Four people were killed in Cleveland, and many others were injured. Several trees were felled in Polk County (as the tornado had weakened to EF1-strength), before the tornado crossed into McMinn County. The tornado re-strengthened to an EF2 and destroyed two houses and a mobile home before lifting south of Athens.
  The tornado killed 20 people and injured hundreds more along its 57-mile (92 km) path across Catoosa, Hamilton, Bradley, Polk and McMinn counties. The tornado was given a rating of EF4 with winds ranging from 175–190 mph (282–306 km/h). The damage path of the tornado was between ¹⁄₃ and ¹⁄₂ mile (0.54 and 0.80 km) wide. This tornado was only the eighth in Georgia to be categorized as an F4/EF4 on the (Enhanced) Fujita scale since 1950, when official tornado records begin.
  All roads in and out of Ringgold were closed until the morning of April 29; after roads leading to the affected areas were re-opened, residents and business owners were allowed to return, being allowed entry only by providing identification, and informing police a reason why they were entering into the area, in order to curb looting in the storm-damaged areas.
caption: EF4 damage to a brick home in Apison, Tennessee.
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