National Weather Service Raw Text Product

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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
207 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2020 /107 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2020/

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 04/12/2020 TORNADO EVENT UPDATE #1...

.Update...Adding PNS data for the Bradley County tornadoes.

.Overview...A strong and dynamic storm system produced severe
thunderstorms across the Southeast United States on Easter Sunday.
A thunderstorm developed across northeast Alabama and northwest 
Georgia within a larger line of convection. This thunderstorm 
developed rotation and became severe before producing a tornado 
across southeast Hamilton County and additional tornadoes across 
Bradley County as it moved northeast.

.Hamilton County Tornado...

Rating:                 EF3
Estimated Peak Wind:    145 mph
Path Length /statute/:  15.25 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   1500 yards
Fatalities:             3
Injuries:               19

Start Date:             04/12/2020
Start Time:             11:19 PM EDT
Start Location:         6.8 SE Chattanooga / Hamilton County / TN
Start Lat/Lon:          34.9859 / -85.1915

End Date:               04/12/2020
End Time:               11:33 PM EDT
End Location:           5.3 NE Ooltewah / Bradley County / TN
End Lat/Lon:            35.1040 / -84.9816

Survey Summary:
This tornado could have begun just inside the Georgia State 
line and continued into Hamilton County. It quickly moved across the 
Harris Hills area where some trees were uprooted. It then continued 
towards East Brainerd Road and Stratman Circle where an auto parts 
store was completely leveled and nearby structures had significant 
roof damage done. The tornado then struck the end of a large shopping 
building where a restaurant was located. The restaurant facade was 
destroyed and the roof was peeled back. This is where the tornado 
picked up strength and was near its peak intensity. It continued northeast 
into the Drake Forest neighborhood where extensive structure, roof, and 
tree damage was noted. There were likely pockets of EF-3 damage here, 
as well. The tornado damage path really widened as it moved northeast 
into the Holly Hills neighborhood. This was likely the widest part of 
the tornado. Nearly as far as you could see to the southeast, tree 
trunks were snapped and significant home damage was noted. Some areas 
were blocked by tree debris and fallen power poles as well as large 
clean up machinery which limited easy access to some areas. Additional 
damage was found in Ooltewah near the Summit Softball Complex and 
particularly the significant roof damage to several units/buildings 
of the Integra Hills Preserve Apartments. The tornado weakened as it 
crossed South Lee Highway and eventually dissipated in southwestern 
Bradley County. The length of the path in this statement is only for 
the Tennessee portion of the tornado. 


.Cleveland Tornado...

Rating:                 EF2
Estimated Peak Wind:    115 mph
Path Length /statute/:  3.04 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   500.0 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               6

Start Date:             04/12/2020
Start Time:             11:45 PM EDT
Start Location:         1 SSE Cleveland / Bradley County / TN
Start Lat/Lon:          35.1613 / -84.864

End Date:               04/12/2020
End Time:               11:50 PM EDT
End Location:           3 S Tasso / Bradley County / TN
End Lat/Lon:            35.1561 / -84.8125

Survey Summary:
The storm from Hamilton County moved into Bradley County with a
mesocyclone moving directly over downtown Cleveland. A tornado
then formed quickly in Cleveland, less than a mile ENE of
downtown. A residential section was hit, comprising single family
homes as well as mobile homes, with 26 destroyed, 23 receiving
major damage, and 62 other dwellings affected. A church in this
area was heavily damaged and hundreds of trees were either uprooted
or had large limbs snapped. The tornado then moved out of the city
before occluding and dissipating in rural areas near Benton Pike
east of downtown.


.Cleveland 2E Tornado...

Rating:                 EF1
Estimated Peak Wind:    105 mph
Path Length /statute/:  5.09 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   500.0 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             04/12/2020
Start Time:             11:50 PM EDT
Start Location:         2 E Cleveland / Bradley County / TN
Start Lat/Lon:          35.1663 / -84.8242

End Date:               04/12/2020
End Time:               11:55 PM EDT
End Location:           3 E Tasso / Bradley County / TN
End Lat/Lon:            35.1977 / -84.7461

Survey Summary:
After the Cleveland tornado occluded, the parent mesocyclone
spawned another tornado that began near Michigan Avenue Road and
Minnis Road. Snapped and uprooted trees were seen in this area
along with downed utility poles. The tornado continued moving NE
and strengthened near Corvin and Wilkerson Roads where single
family homes sustained significant roof damage, several barns and
outbuildings were either partially or completely destroyed, and
hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. This type of damage
continued along Chatata Valley Road through Julian Road. The 
tornado then began to dissipate along Julian Road NE of Evans Road
where damage was mainly to trees and roof shingles.


.Tasso 2E Tornado...

Rating:                 EF1
Estimated Peak Wind:    105 mph
Path Length /statute/:  4.91 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   500.0 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             04/12/2020
Start Time:             11:55 PM EDT
Start Location:         2 E Tasso / Bradley County / TN
Start Lat/Lon:          35.2046 / -84.7751

End Date:               04/13/2020
End Time:               12:00 AM EDT
End Location:           3 NW Benton / Polk County / TN
End Lat/Lon:            35.2159 / -84.6927

Survey Summary:
Around the time that the Cleveland 2E tornado was occluding along
Julian Road, another tornado began developing south of Tasso just
to the SW of the New Friendship Cemetery. Many trees were snapped
and uprooted in the cemetery, and a wooded area between the
cemetery and a private residence was deforested. The tornado
weakened as it moved across Chatata Valley Road before
restrengthening along Cates Lane and Morgan Road where hundreds of
trees were snapped or uprooted along with roof and cosmetic damage
to a few single family homes and outbuildings. Similar damage 
continued as the tornado traveled along Baker Bridge Road before 
it began to weaken with its path becoming less defined. The 
tornado dissipated near Geren and Upper River Roads where a wider 
area of tree damage occurred.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale 
classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

The National Weather Service would like to extend special thanks 
to the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland
Security and the Cleveland-Bradley County Emergency Management
Agency for their assistance in coordinating and conducting damage
assessment surveys.

$$

GM/AC/JB/RG