Significant Tornado Events

[speedbump305]

I recall there was quite a bit of discussion on the old site about the apparent under-rating of some of the FFC tornadoes, especially Ringgold; if ever there was a Georgia tornado in the modern era capable of being rated EF5, Ringgold would likely be it. Contextual evidence is even present that would back that up. Not as violent as the official EF5s of the day, but certainly enough with the debarked shredded snags, destroyed vehicles, and overall brown muddy appearance of the debris path. Wind-rowing was spectacular with a good bit of granulation as shown in the photos. Even though the homes were poorly attached, I feel as though the damage would have been similar with strongly attached homes and Ringgold was definitely capable of EF5.

That wind rowing is just spectacular. And yes there seems to be a lot of granulation present. Not quite as intense as the Hackleburg, Smithville, Rainsville, or philadelphia EF5s, But obviously still very intense. Probably one of the most underrated tornadoes of all time

 

[Equus]

The Bartow tornado, meanwhile, was rated 150mph EF3 by FFC; the homes here were poorly anchored and some were on CMU foundations but the contextual evidence makes it pretty obvious that the tornado was clearly capable of violent damage at peak had homes been well built and FFC less conservative back in 2011.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

I feel that the intensity of the violent tornado that devastated Ringgold, Georgia on April 27, 2011, is really underappreciated. Satellite imagery noted sporadic tree damage south of Ringgold before the tornado moved right through town doing no more than marginal EF2 damage. However, the path immediately widened as the tornado exited the town, and the intensity increased so rapidly as the tornado moved into the Cherokee Valley area. These photographs were taken in the hard-hit Cherokee Valley vicinity:
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While I don't doubt Ringgold achieved EF5 intensity the EF4 rating is appropriate; none of the homes it encountered were exceptionally sturdy or properly and well-anchored, so it makes sense they'd go with an EF4 rating. Really interesting Georgia's yet to have an official E/F5 tornado.

 

[Equus]

EF4 is fine since no homes were well built there, though 175 seems far too low. Hard to find a properly bolted house in many rural areas. I'd say a majority of the country doesn't have anything to hit that would register a true EF5 rating barring incredible feats a la Philadelphia, MS.

Ringgold would have likely been ranked F5 on the old scale before the La Plata debacle and subsequent close evaluation of construction quality; it would be nice to be able to objectively look at pre-2000 F4-5 ratings and see which ones would actually stand now that we're paying better attention to construction quality.

 

[speedbump305]

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While I don't doubt Ringgold achieved EF5 intensity the EF4 rating is appropriate; none of the homes it encountered were exceptionally sturdy or properly and well-anchored, so it makes sense they'd go with an EF4 rating. Really interesting Georgia's yet to have an official E/F5 tornado.

Yes the EF4 rating is appropriate, Poorly built homes aren’t good to determine EF5 rating. But i don’t doubt one bit ringgold hit EF5 strength

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

EF4 is fine since no homes were well built there, though 175 seems far too low. Hard to find a properly bolted house in many rural areas. I'd say a majority of the country doesn't have anything to hit that would register a true EF5 rating barring incredible feats a la Philadelphia, MS.

Ringgold would have likely been ranked F5 on the old scale before the La Plata debacle and subsequent close evaluation of construction quality; it would be nice to be able to objectively look at pre-2000 F4-5 ratings and see which ones would actually stand now that we're paying better attention to construction quality.

Yeah I think Ringgold should have been given wind estimates of 190 mph, like Tuscaloosa was. I think both of these tornadoes would have been given EF5 ratings had they occurred by themselves and weren't part of a larger outbreak.

 

[Equus]

Yeah I think Ringgold should have been given wind estimates of 190 mph, like Tuscaloosa was. I think both of these tornadoes would have been given EF5 ratings had they occurred by themselves and weren't part of a larger outbreak.

It's a humbling aspect of the 2011 super outbreak that tornadoes intense enough to be borderline EF5 were overshadowed that badly by four much stronger ones to look relatively marginal in comparison. On a whole separate order of magnitude than most outbreaks indeed.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

It's a humbling aspect of the 2011 super outbreak that tornadoes intense enough to be borderline EF5 were overshadowed that badly by four much stronger ones to look relatively marginal in comparison. On a whole separate order of magnitude than most outbreaks indeed.

I do wonder how many F5s of the 1974 Super Outbreak would receive an EF5 rating today. Be interesting to compare. I doubt Xenia would get anything higher than EF4, Tanner 1 probably would get EF5, not sure about Tanner 2. I could go on but you get the idea.

 

[pohnpei]

I feel that the intensity of the violent tornado that devastated Ringgold, Georgia on April 27, 2011, is really underappreciated. Satellite imagery noted sporadic tree damage south of Ringgold before the tornado moved right through town doing no more than marginal EF2 damage. However, the path immediately widened as the tornado exited the town, and the intensity increased so rapidly as the tornado moved into the Cherokee Valley area. These photographs were taken in the hard-hit Cherokee Valley vicinity:
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Based on aerial photo, it was likely that Ringgold strengthed significantly right before entering this place then it climb over the hill north of the subvision.
I am no botanist but I can tell trees in the sixth pic was the same species of Bassfield's debarking trees along Wille Fortenburry Road and was the second most insane debarking for this tree species I have notice in Dixie area.
Tree damages in this place was far severe than the average vehicle damages and the same thing happened on Tuscaloosa too. Horizontal winds proportion must stronger vertical winds proportion for both tornados. The core of both of them seems larger than Hackleburg/Smithville.

 

[speedbump305]

I do wonder how many F5s of the 1974 Super Outbreak would receive an EF5 rating today. Be interesting to compare. I doubt Xenia would get anything higher than EF4, Tanner 1 probably would get EF5, not sure about Tanner 2. I could go on but you get the idea.

I think Guin, Tanner 1, and Brandenburg would be EF5 for sure. Tanner 2 would probably be high end EF4 same with Xenia. i don’t know about sayler park and depauw indiana, prolly F4 as well

 

[Equus]

I do wonder how many F5s of the 1974 Super Outbreak would receive an EF5 rating today. Be interesting to compare. I doubt Xenia would get anything higher than EF4, Tanner 1 probably would get EF5, not sure about Tanner 2. I could go on but you get the idea.

The difference in what constitutes F5 damage in the 1970s vs EF5 damage in the 2010s is probably more responsible for the discrepancy in high-end tornado count between the two events than the actual intensity; swap the two and the 2011 outbreak would've probably had 6-7 F5s, and the 1974 outbreak maybe 3 or 4. Very closely matched in the intensity of the highest end tornadoes though 1974 had a much more impressive spatial extent

 

[Equus]

Based on aerial photo, it was likely that Ringgold strengthed significantly right before entering this place then it climb over the hill north of the subvision.
I am no botanist but I can tell trees in the sixth pic was the same species of Bassfield's debarking trees along Wille Fortenburry Road and was the second most insane debarking for this tree species I have notice in Dixie area.
Tree damages in this place was far severe than the average vehicle damages and the same thing happened on Tuscaloosa too. Horizontal winds proportion must stronger vertical winds proportion for both tornados. The core of both of them seems larger than Hackleburg/Smithville.
View attachment 6901

Vertical vs horizontal wind extremes in violent tornadoes is a fascinating topic. Indeed the tree damage is pretty much identical to Bassfield's 190 with widespread shredding and debarking of pines; I'd go 190 for Ringgold (I think the Tennessee section may have gotten 190? I can't remember) though both Bassfield and Ringgold are limited to EF4 simply because of not hitting anything extremely well-built

 

[speedbump305]

Vertical vs horizontal wind extremes in violent tornadoes is a fascinating topic. Indeed the tree damage is pretty much identical to Bassfield's 190 with widespread shredding and debarking of pines; I'd go 190 for Ringgold (I think the Tennessee section may have gotten 190? I can't remember) though both Bassfield and Ringgold are limited to EF4 simply because of not hitting anything extremely well-built

Honestly Bassfield unlike ringgold, was JUST PURELY IGNORED AND UNDERRATED. Literally Bassfield swept away a well built cabin with the plumbing torn out the foundation and anchors apparently being bent. By the way i saw this from the damage aerial from Live Storms Media. Bassfield produced Genuine EF5 damage to a home and wasn’t rated EF5 based on tree damage not being severe and ground not scorched enough. it’s just so freaking ridiculous

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

higher than EF4, Tanner 1 probably would get EF5, not sure about Tanner 2. I could go on but you get the idea.

I imagine Guin, Tanner #1 and Brandenburg would get an EF5 rating today.

 

[pohnpei]

I do wonder how many F5s of the 1974 Super Outbreak would receive an EF5 rating today. Be interesting to compare. I doubt Xenia would get anything higher than EF4, Tanner 1 probably would get EF5, not sure about Tanner 2. I could go on but you get the idea.

It would be very hard to speculate how many F5s would receive EF5 today, like in 2021. Beacuse the standard for an EF5 style well built house was very high. It normally needs toe nails, anchored spacing at least 4 by 4, no another weakness of the building. (except for few exception) Houses can meet this standard was very rare to see.The contextual damage around the house at least meet quite high standard. It would be very hard to judge whether houses many years ago meet this stringent standard. Even tornados like Chickasha or Vilonia can't manage EF5 rating, I have no confidence to say which tornado in the past MUST be rated EF5 today.
But If we talk about the overall damage apperance rather than these technical structure details, Brandenburg/Guin/Tanner was likely to be "EF5 level tornados".

 

[speedbump305]

It would be very hard to speculate how many F5 would receive EF5 today, like in 2021. Beacuse the standard for an EF5 style well built house was very high. It normally needs toe nails, anchored spacing at least 4 by 4, no another weakness of the building. (except for few exception) The contextual damage the house at least meet standard. I would be very hard to judge whether houses many years ago meet this stringent standard.
But If we talk about the overall damage apperance rather than these technical structure details, Brandenburg/Guin/Tanner was likely to be "EF5 level tornados".

Yes those 3 would be EF5 today. They all produced violent damage consistent with EF5 tornadoes today.

 

[pohnpei]

Vertical vs horizontal wind extremes in violent tornadoes is a fascinating topic. Indeed the tree damage is pretty much identical to Bassfield's 190 with widespread shredding and debarking of pines; I'd go 190 for Ringgold (I think the Tennessee section may have gotten 190? I can't remember) though both Bassfield and Ringgold are limited to EF4 simply because of not hitting anything extremely well-built

Yes, the tennessee section of the tornado was rated 190mph. Damage photos was less compared to the section in GA part. Some houses were swept away debris dragged for long distance in Tennessee.

 

[Marshal79344]

For what it's worth, I have this photo of the Ringgold Tornado near the Apison, TN area in my archives:

 

[speedbump305]

For what it's worth, I have this photo of the Ringgold Tornado near the Apison, TN area in my archives:View attachment 6906

That tornado kinda looks like The clinton tornado of 2008.

 

[eric11]

I feel that the intensity of the violent tornado that devastated Ringgold, Georgia on April 27, 2011, is really underappreciated. Satellite imagery noted sporadic tree damage south of Ringgold before the tornado moved right through town doing no more than marginal EF2 damage. However, the path immediately widened as the tornado exited the town, and the intensity increased so rapidly as the tornado moved into the Cherokee Valley area. These photographs were taken in the hard-hit Cherokee Valley vicinity:
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Damage in the cherokee valley definitely meets the EF5 range.Numerous huge FR12 get completely demolished, the debris pattern also quite fits what an EF5 did to houses




But some questions still kept nagging me, borderline EF5 like Tuscaloosa and Ringgold have limit car damage.In extreme case, you can find cars being intact near clean slabs and completely debarked trees.I know car damage is defect to most Dixie violent but the great incongruity in tors with such strength still looks unexplainable