Yes, and interestingly, the Udall F5, which originated in a very similar fashion and supercell, also destroyed the only water tower in the town it hit. Both the Udall and Greensburg tornadoes originated in cyclic, high-precipitation, relatively slow-moving supercells whose precipitation shields were strikingly reminiscent of one another, even though the Udall tornado occurred in a relatively primitive era, radar-wise; both tornadoes also coincided with and were backlit by vivid lightning. Incidentally, as has been mentioned previously, both the Udall and Greensburg supercells were also rather similar to the Jordan, IA, storm of 06/13/1976.
Wow! that seems pretty intense. So earlier i heard someone say that the 2013 El Reno Tornado was more intense than the 2013 Moore Tornado. i really disagreed because the damage in moore was seriously intense and the vegetation scouring and tree damage was more intense overall. 2013 El Reno was overrated and deserves its EF3 ratingThe Colfax, WI, F5 tornado of 06/04/1958 produced some remarkable granulation of debris and debarking of trees:
In his Significant Tornadoes, Thomas P. Grazulis lists the Colfax event as F4, but non-structural indicators seem F5.
Worries me because of two reasons. One, I'm now about 15 miles as the crow flies from Jarrell. Two, there is a casual attitude about tornadoes here in Austin and almost zero basements because of the ground. I won't even mention the population explosion since the Jarrell F5.
Since I lived in Smithville and am blessed with a photographic memory of my surroundings when I have been to a place for a while, I can tell you one of the things that Moore, Joplin, Jarrell, and several of the F5's discussed here is the complete lack of anything left in these areas.
Good job on this. I was always suspicious of much of the alleged “ground scouring” at Holly Springs, as it never looked quite right or consistent with actual significant scouring imo.
Really impressive photos there but unfortunately, without anchor bolts present in the alleged F5 area (in other photos I’ve seen), I gotta call this one F4.
Hmm interesting so I guess that wasn't extreme scouring after all though real significant scouring occurred elsewhere along the tornado's path and there still appears to be grass scouring in Motorsports Park area.
The threshold for F5 back then is much different than what the threshold for EF5 is now. As long as you have homes swept away and actual contextual evidence of a truly violent tornado, you'd get an F5 rating. Things stayed this way until very recently. I'm keeping it as an F5.
Oh trust me I know, I’m just insinuating that like Xenia, it wouldn’t be rated an EF5 today, and that I wish anchoring was taken into account back then.
I'm not sure exactly, I've never sat down and put a list together. I would say Tri-State would be in my top five for sure though. You know what, now I want to make a list lol.
Your list is pretty good, but i want to talk about Smithville for a moment, we all know how incredibly violent it was, but i actually think Hackleburg was just as violent here’s why
Uh Smithville was far from a marginal EF5 https://www.tornadotalk.com/the-smithville-ms-ef-5-tornado-april-27-2011/Your list is pretty good, but i want to talk about Smithville for a moment, we all know how incredibly violent it was, but i actually think Hackleburg was just as violent here’s why
I’ll say this. From what i’ve seen, the damage from the Smithville tornado was marginal EF5, pretty much what you normally see in EF5 tornadoes, but when it hit the subdivision and the funeral home, that’s where i think it reached a second peak intensity. the first time at the Cox home and the trench digging. Carpet being stripped away is not uncommon in EF5 tornadoes as well as sweeping away some of the flooring. there have been a few EF4 tornadoes that have done this. anchors being torn out has happened with many EF5 tornadoes. Rainsville, Joplin, and Hackleburg being examples. The NWS even says the winds to tear up anchor bolts are above 205 mph. for the appliances and plumbing being shredded, that was at the end of the subdivision. not the whole path. and the ground scouring across smithville was pretty much normal in EF5 tornadoes as well. the metal waste pipe, the softwood tree damage near the funeral home, and the granulated brick at the funeral home are the main reasons why i consider it high end EF5, and with the Cox home. tree damage to hardwood trees was no more intense than other EF5s as well.
Hackleburg produced EXTREMELY intense instances of damage
apparently from a survivor of the tornado, his home was dislodged 3 feet off square and the whole basement caved in
the image of concrete being torn out, i actually think that was a home foundation. it looked too thick to be a garage or outbuilding foundation.
stem walling was sheared and ripped
anchors were ripped out in EF5 fashion
The ground scouring from Mount hope-Tanner i heard was very intense
mangled vehicles and crushed into balls and shapes
grass scoured from hillsides
the Hackleburg tornado was the only tornado to ever sweep away a 3 story concrete building. The Wrangler Plant. beams and everything were broken and twisted.
With the storm shelter, it was legit, it tore up the concrete roof. only tornado to ever do that
the tree damage to hardwood trees and large healthy trees was a little more intense in my opinion than Smithville, but the softwood damage at the end of Smithville was extremely intense
the poured concrete it tore was granulated severely
carpet was stripped and flooring as well. y’all might not believe me, but it is very common for that to happen in EF5 tornadoes
pavement and asphalt being scoured and sucked up.
the extremely intense wind rowing and granulation of debris, people think the brick in smithville happened everywhere, it didn’t, it only happened at the funeral home. the granulation and wind rowing throughout most of the path was normal.
With this instance, i’m presenting the Hackleburg and Smithville tornadoes being tied because of just how extreme they were. remember alabama soil is way stronger than mississippi soil.
one more thing. the SUV being lifted was also very impressive. Hackleburg managed to throw a tractor 2 miles and both tornadoes had a large vehicle never found.
These Tornadoes deserve to be the top of the list and were both extremely violent. i hope y’all agree!
Move Hackleburg above everything besides jarrell and tie it with Smithville. Jarrell was the most violent tornado in history in my opinion and deserves the king. Hackleburg seems to be underrated imoYour list is pretty good, but i want to talk about Smithville for a moment, we all know how incredibly violent it was, but i actually think Hackleburg was just as violent here’s why
I’ll say this. From what i’ve seen, the damage from the Smithville tornado was marginal EF5, pretty much what you normally see in EF5 tornadoes, but when it hit the subdivision and the funeral home, that’s where i think it reached a second peak intensity. the first time at the Cox home and the trench digging. Carpet being stripped away is not uncommon in EF5 tornadoes as well as sweeping away some of the flooring. there have been a few EF4 tornadoes that have done this. anchors being torn out has happened with many EF5 tornadoes. Rainsville, Joplin, and Hackleburg being examples. The NWS even says the winds to tear up anchor bolts are above 205 mph. for the appliances and plumbing being shredded, that was at the end of the subdivision. not the whole path. and the ground scouring across smithville was pretty much normal in EF5 tornadoes as well. the metal waste pipe, the softwood tree damage near the funeral home, and the granulated brick at the funeral home are the main reasons why i consider it high end EF5, and with the Cox home. tree damage to hardwood trees was no more intense than other EF5s as well.
Hackleburg produced EXTREMELY intense instances of damage
apparently from a survivor of the tornado, his home was dislodged 3 feet off square and the whole basement caved in
the image of concrete being torn out, i actually think that was a home foundation. it looked too thick to be a garage or outbuilding foundation.
stem walling was sheared and ripped
anchors were ripped out in EF5 fashion
The ground scouring from Mount hope-Tanner i heard was very intense
mangled vehicles and crushed into balls and shapes
grass scoured from hillsides
the Hackleburg tornado was the only tornado to ever sweep away a 3 story concrete building. The Wrangler Plant. beams and everything were broken and twisted.
With the storm shelter, it was legit, it tore up the concrete roof. only tornado to ever do that
the tree damage to hardwood trees and large healthy trees was a little more intense in my opinion than Smithville, but the softwood damage at the end of Smithville was extremely intense
the poured concrete it tore was granulated severely
carpet was stripped and flooring as well. y’all might not believe me, but it is very common for that to happen in EF5 tornadoes
pavement and asphalt being scoured and sucked up.
the extremely intense wind rowing and granulation of debris, people think the brick in smithville happened everywhere, it didn’t, it only happened at the funeral home. the granulation and wind rowing throughout most of the path was normal.
With this instance, i’m presenting the Hackleburg and Smithville tornadoes being tied because of just how extreme they were. remember alabama soil is way stronger than mississippi soil.
one more thing. the SUV being lifted was also very impressive. Hackleburg managed to throw a tractor 2 miles and both tornadoes had a large vehicle never found.
These Tornadoes deserve to be the top of the list and were both extremely violent. i hope y’all agree!
i know it was far from a marginal EF5, but like half of the damage was pretty much Marginal-mid range EF5, with another half being high end. same with Rainsville and Hackleburg tbh. most EF5s have mid range to high end EF5 damage
