Enhanced Fujita Ratings Debate Thread

[Grand Poo Bah]

Lake Martin, AL EF4 - 04/27/2011
Path Length: 44.18 miles
Fatalities: 7
Injuries: 30

Damage over the western-central portions of Lake Martin


^^ Two fatalities occured here where two substantial homes were completely razed from their foundations.

"A second intensity maxima occurred six miles east of Dadeville. A 40-50 yard swath of trees along the center line was stripped and debarked. There was a broader complex multi-vortex treefall pattern here that is only present in a very powerful tornado. The maximum total width of the tornado soared to 1,480 yards."



After another 4.5 miles the tornado reached the Tallapoosa-Chambers County border, where it narrowed and weakened. However the core winds struck a 100 year old frame house and left no trace.

The remains of Mount Hebron East Baptist Church North of Eclectic.






^^ A two story anchored home With a reinforced CMU foundation that was swept away.




New Rating: (E)F5

Reasons: Strong frame houses blown away, cars (truck) thrown in excess of 100 meters, incredible tree damage and debarking.

 

[Grand Poo Bah]

Here's an image of the 100 year old home that was disappeared. And another photo of the extremely impressive scar it left behind.

 

[Grand Poo Bah]

I actually think Shoal Creek-Ohatchee’s wind speed was properly rated. Same thing with Bridgeport.

Interesting note about the Bridgeport tornado is it threw a semi truck over 100 yards! Very impressive and most certainly violent. The two well built homes it hit were blown over with all the debris left on the slab in textbook F4 fashion, so I agree it was properly rated. The semi-truck could be an F5 indicator, but it's the only really impressive contextual from the tornado's entire path, so I wouldn't say there's enough evidence for a higher rating.

 

[Grand Poo Bah]

Not seeing anything on Tornado Talk that points to F5 strength with the Enterprise/Yantley tornado. This is by far the most impressive damage, but construction wasn't finished

About 5.6 miles east of Enterprise, on Highway 514, the tornado reached peak intensity, EF4, with estimated winds of 175 mph. A newly constructed, well-built house was swept away. A clean slab was all that was left. Trees nearby were debarked. Typically this type of damage would be rated EF5 as the home was adequately anchored, and no debris was left on the foundation. However, the interior walls were not yet constructed, which meant that the structural integrity was weakened. A well-built neighboring home was unroofed.

 

[Lake Martin EF4]

New Rating: (E)F5

I highly doubt it (I?) reached EF5 status, just saying. EF4 was appropriate from what I've seen.

 

[Grand Poo Bah]

I highly doubt it (I?) reached EF5 status, just saying. EF4 was appropriate from what I've seen.

Ok then F5. Either way, if we're going for Fujita era consistency this earns the 5 all the way. See those anchor bolts? Truck tossed over 100 meters. Trees shredded. That's a lot of slabbage for lake front properties (rich people houses lol). The scar doesn't lie either.

Doesn't matter too much either way,but had to give your tornado a deeper look!