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4. Vilonia 2014 - killed 16 and injured 200. Could easily be #2 on this list based on sheer strength. Some of the damage it did was incredibly impressive. Don't have to go back very far in this thread to find dozens of pics, so i'll just post the most intense ones.
28 homes were destroyed in one subdivision. It was determined they weren't properly anchored, but they were also brick, which requires much stronger winds to slab than other building material. Then, of course, you have the notorious image of the home with anchor bolts in both its interior AND exterior walls.
"This point received the maximum damage rating as the walls were connected to the sill plate with nuts, bolts, and washers. An EF5 rating was not assigned because: Ratings are not normally assigned based on one only structure, the house was hit by the debris from the downtown buildings so there was uncertainty as to how much damage was done by the tornado itself vs. flying debris, and some trees (tall and skinny) were still standing along a ditch about 100 yards away."
-NWS Little Rock
"Well respected structural engineer, meteorologist and storm chaser Tim Marshall was in Arkansas in mid-May, 2014 to survey damage [...] On May 16th, the National Weather Service in Little Rock (Pulaski County) was informed by Mr. Marshall that he agreed with the EF4 rating assigned to the local April 27th twister."
5. Greenfield 2024 - DOW recorded wind speeds of 318 mph 40 meters above the ground. It's about the closest to the ground readings you'll ever get from radar, and 318 mph was the wind speed of the tornado as it rolled through town. I will 100% die on this hill. Not to mention it was less than 100m wide and moving at 55 mph The fact so many are willing to dismiss these readings because a small handful of engineers turn their nose up at it will always irritate me beyond belief.
People also regularly dismiss Midwest tornadoes because of low death tolls and basements. If a tornado passes through a densely populated area, it's bound to leave behind more piles of debris, than rural ones, and homes with basements aren't as impressive on satellite because (obviously) debris will naturally collect in holes in the ground. The scar this tornado left behind is still one of the most impressive you'll ever see. This tornado wiped away 40 homes from my last count, and left behind either clean subfloor, or snapped basement walls. Several of the homes were well built.
i've posted tons of pics just a few pages back in this thread.
6. Rolling Fork 2023 - killed 17 and injured 165.
28 homes were destroyed in one subdivision. It was determined they weren't properly anchored, but they were also brick, which requires much stronger winds to slab than other building material. Then, of course, you have the notorious image of the home with anchor bolts in both its interior AND exterior walls.
"This point received the maximum damage rating as the walls were connected to the sill plate with nuts, bolts, and washers. An EF5 rating was not assigned because: Ratings are not normally assigned based on one only structure, the house was hit by the debris from the downtown buildings so there was uncertainty as to how much damage was done by the tornado itself vs. flying debris, and some trees (tall and skinny) were still standing along a ditch about 100 yards away."
-NWS Little Rock
"Well respected structural engineer, meteorologist and storm chaser Tim Marshall was in Arkansas in mid-May, 2014 to survey damage [...] On May 16th, the National Weather Service in Little Rock (Pulaski County) was informed by Mr. Marshall that he agreed with the EF4 rating assigned to the local April 27th twister."
5. Greenfield 2024 - DOW recorded wind speeds of 318 mph 40 meters above the ground. It's about the closest to the ground readings you'll ever get from radar, and 318 mph was the wind speed of the tornado as it rolled through town. I will 100% die on this hill. Not to mention it was less than 100m wide and moving at 55 mph The fact so many are willing to dismiss these readings because a small handful of engineers turn their nose up at it will always irritate me beyond belief.
People also regularly dismiss Midwest tornadoes because of low death tolls and basements. If a tornado passes through a densely populated area, it's bound to leave behind more piles of debris, than rural ones, and homes with basements aren't as impressive on satellite because (obviously) debris will naturally collect in holes in the ground. The scar this tornado left behind is still one of the most impressive you'll ever see. This tornado wiped away 40 homes from my last count, and left behind either clean subfloor, or snapped basement walls. Several of the homes were well built.
i've posted tons of pics just a few pages back in this thread.
6. Rolling Fork 2023 - killed 17 and injured 165.
