Severe WX March 23-25th, 2023

[jiharris0220]

From the vehicle wrapped around power lines, which was presumably the one caught on video being tossed, and from that photo of a snake being impaled through that twig.
This tornado continues to show feats I’ve never seen before.
Absolutely wouldn’t be surprised if the CWA ends up with a high end 4.

 

[JBishopwx]

 

[buckeye05]

I really hope they up the wind speed estimate. This was NOT a low-end EF4.

 

[Equus]

Given the tree and vehicle damage I'd definitely go 180-185ish, probably close to 4/28/14 Louisville EF4 but below Bassfield, seems to have passed the minimal threshold for EF4 given contextuals but 170 is rather low on the contextual front. If it'd been near EF5 I fear the death toll would've been significantly worse since I have seen survivor interviews that indicate survival in interior bathrooms; had it been stronger or larger, we would have much fewer surviving interior bathrooms

 

[JBishopwx]

I really hope they up the wind speed estimate. This was NOT a low-end EF4.

As I mentioned above, Jackson notes additional information is now being assessed, including aerial imagery from satellite and UAS. Locations with the most severe damage along the paths are now being reviewed. follow up surveys are possible, and updates to survey results are also possible in the coming days.

 

[tornado examiner]

they did a good job! I’m happy! And if they up to wind estimate to a more reasonable number. Even better! It’s been some time since a city destroying tornado was surveyed properly.

 

[Taylor Campbell]

 

[pohnpei]

Very impressive granulation here

 

[pohnpei]

 

[tornado examiner]

Woah

 

[buckeye05]

People take note, THIS is what true debris granulation looks like. Absolutely textbook. A while back, someone was trying to call the typical debris scatter at Cambridge Shores, KY debris granulation. No comparison.

If you can literally fill a jar with granulated house, it's legit debris granulation.

 

[TH2002]

High-end EF4 is basically just today's EF5.

I think we all know the EF5 rating has essentially been retired since 2014 - but at the same time, I think this is a case where HE EF4 is appropriate.

Have to draw a comparison to the Mikulčice tornado - extreme contextual damage that potentially points to an F5/EF5 rating, but with structural damage being by far the weakest link.

 

[TH2002]

What DoD for DI category Chicken Sandwich is this, seems well built

Now THAT is a unique instance of damage I haven't seen since 2011:

 

[buckeye05]

Now THAT is a unique instance of damage I haven't seen since 2011:

An absolute classic lmao

 

[Equus]

Oh man that's a blast from the past lmaoooo one of the greatest

 

[Evan]

How about a golf tee impaled through the backside cover of a car's side mirror? I still have a picture of it somewhere. Family friend's house during cleanup of the Tuscaloosa EF4 that also hit Concord, AL. 2x4 impaled so deeply in the front yard we couldn't pull it out so just chain-sawed it down.

The aftermath of a violent tornado is really like entering a different universe.

 

[Evan]

So uh, Alex Sizemore from NWS Birmingham was out surveying the Rolling Fork tornado. He confirms via eyewitness account that the lights orbiting the tornado shown in the videos from Adam Lucio, Max Olson, and co. are indeed vehicles.

Link? Interested to see what he had to say.

 

[tornado examiner]

I love how we get a preliminary ef4 rating less than a full day after the tornado…and NOW engineer’s are coming in to give their assessment and finalize the rating. That’s so good. None of this “it’s a high end ef3 till they arrive” crap.

 

[jiharris0220]

I definitely agree with your assertion that the aftermath area of a violent tornado is like a different universe.
To me it sometimes feels like the physics that occur in those areas are just, different.
To this day, I still can’t comprehend how the jarrell tornado manage to impale an electric cable (I think?) into this small tree stump, or I should say, what’s left of it.

 

[tornado examiner]

imagine Tim Marshall comes in and picks apart every single ef4 di in rolling fork downgrading them all to an ef3…just imagine the insane backlash…everyone would be unhappy and everybody would be voicing their disapproval.

Incredibly unlikely and night impossible tho…so we don’t have to worry. Lol…just a thought I had