Significant Tornado Events

[Shakespeare2016]

True, but it's another case of not officially. While it's not as clear cut of a case as Vilonia, at least a couple of meteorologists believed the Ringgold tornado on 4/27/11 was underrated, and should have been rated EF5. If it didn't reach EF5 strength, it certainly came extremely close, and was a very good candidate for the strongest EF4 tornado of the day (other contenders being the Cullman/Arab, Ohatchee, and Tuscaloosa tornadoes).

All of those tornadoes fell right on the borderline of EF4/EF5 all right at or around 200 mph.

 

[Shakespeare2016]

The Philadelphia, MS EF5 tornado was the least deadliest of the EF5 tornadoes. Had those people that were killed in a mobile homes that was thrown almost 1/4 mile, had they been in a more substantial shelter there would have been no fatalities. Though it produced probably the most intense ground scouring ever documented it was the least deadliest and that may be because it stayed mainly in rural areas.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

The Philadelphia, MS EF5 tornado was the least deadliest of the EF5 tornadoes. Had those people that were killed in a mobile homes that was thrown almost 1/4 mile, had they been in a more substantial shelter there would have been no fatalities. Though it produced probably the most intense ground scouring ever documented it was the least deadliest and that may be because it stayed mainly in rural areas.

It definitely earned an EF5 rating though. The ground and pavement scouring was pretty incredible, and it completely leveled and swept away a well-built brick home.
The formation of it. Amazing how quickly it intensifies and grows into a wedge:

 

[CheeselandSkies]

Philadelphia proper got a big time reprieve, especially considering the seeming propensity of tornadoes that day to hit towns and cities head-on.

 

[Shakespeare2016]

It definitely earned an EF5 rating though. The ground and pavement scouring was pretty incredible, and it completely leveled and swept away a well-built brick home.
The formation of it. Amazing how quickly it intensifies and grows into a wedge:

No doubt about that.

 

[Shakespeare2016]

So, I got some pics of Hudsonville damage. This thing was surprisingly well-documented for its time. I recommend this gallery, as it has every damage photo from this thing (and several of the tornado itself): https://www.flickr.com/photos/50000032@N03/page1


On to pics. Most notable things are the narrow damage path (easily noticed by pronounced wind rowing & ground scouring) and the automobile damage from this thing:

View attachment 3606View attachment 3607View attachment 3608View attachment 3609View attachment 3610View attachment 3611View attachment 3612View attachment 3613View attachment 3614

It was a quarter mile-wide F5 tornado of absolute destruction. This one really stands out there and for the time period it happened. It wasn't overly wide but it was extremely violent.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

It was a quarter mile-wide F5 tornado of absolute destruction. This one really stands out there and for the time period it happened. It wasn't overly wide but it was extremely violent.

Most of the Michigan tornadoes are of the "drillbit" variety and typically don't get any wider than a quarter mile. This thing was a quarter mile at its widest but the majority of the F5 destruction occurred when it was much narrower, I think. Also, in terms of violence nothing tops the Flint-Beecher tornado that occurred in 1953, three years before this. This is definitely a close second, though (unless you count some of the Palm Sunday 1965 storms in Michigan).

 

[pohnpei]

So, I got some pics of Hudsonville damage. This thing was surprisingly well-documented for its time. I recommend this gallery, as it has every damage photo from this thing (and several of the tornado itself): https://www.flickr.com/photos/50000032@N03/page1


On to pics. Most notable things are the narrow damage path (easily noticed by pronounced wind rowing & ground scouring) and the automobile damage from this thing:

View attachment 3606View attachment 3607View attachment 3608View attachment 3609View attachment 3610View attachment 3611View attachment 3612View attachment 3613View attachment 3614

These kinds of insane violent tornadoin MI like Hudsonville and Flint had disappeared for a very long time, last time MI got a EF3 rating tornado was in 2012. Hard to suspect what happened here.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

These kinds of insane violent tornadoin MI like Hudsonville and Flint had disappeared for a very long time, last time MI got a EF3 rating tornado was in 2012. Hard to suspect what happened here.

Yeah, it's interesting, since 1970 the bulk of violent tornado outbreaks has shifted to the Plains States and the Deep South. Really interesting.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

I'm embarrassed to admit that I had never even heard of this event.

Would love to get more information on this thing. Of course, given that it occurred during Communist-era China that is likely hard to come by. I do think China & Mongolia get tornadoes more than we think but it's very difficult to get much information (in English, at least) on them.

 

[Shakespeare2016]

Most of the Michigan tornadoes are of the "drillbit" variety and typically don't get any wider than a quarter mile. This thing was a quarter mile at its widest but the majority of the F5 destruction occurred when it was much narrower, I think. Also, in terms of violence nothing tops the Flint-Beecher tornado that occurred in 1953, three years before this. This is definitely a close second, though (unless you count some of the Palm Sunday 1965 storms in Michigan).

Some of the most violent tornadoes came out of the 1950s. Most of the F5s from the 1950s were typically about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile-wide. Not overly wide but extremely violent. The Blackwell and Udall F5 tornadoes were 3/4 mile-wide. There is also the Worcester, Massachusetts tornado on June 9, 1953 which was a mile-wide and it most certainly deserves an F5 rating.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

Some of the most violent tornadoes came out of the 1950s. Most of the F5s from the 1950s were typically about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile-wide. Not overly wide but extremely violent. The Blackwell and Udall F5 tornadoes were 3/4 mile-wide. There is also the Worcester, Massachusetts tornado on June 9, 1953 which was a mile-wide and it most certainly deserves an F5 rating.

1953 was the deadliest year post-radar until 2011.

 

[Shakespeare2016]

Would love to get more information on this thing. Of course, given that it occurred during Communist-era China that is likely hard to come by. I do think China & Mongolia get tornadoes more than we think but it's very difficult to get much information (in English, at least) on them.

That is definitely high-end tornado damage. China has gotten some really violent tornado the most recent I think was an EF4. I also never heard of this event either.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

Some of the most violent tornadoes came out of the 1950s. Most of the F5s from the 1950s were typically about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile-wide. Not overly wide but extremely violent. The Blackwell and Udall F5 tornadoes were 3/4 mile-wide. There is also the Worcester, Massachusetts tornado on June 9, 1953 which was a mile-wide and it most certainly deserves an F5 rating.

Now that I remember, I know El, Dorado KS was hit in 1958 by a tornado that was ranked F4 but Grazulis thought should be rated F5, but it was hard to justify an F5 rating with available damage photographs. Another one of those borderline cases.

 

[pohnpei]

Would love to get more information on this thing. Of course, given that it occurred during Communist-era China that is likely hard to come by. I do think China & Mongolia get tornadoes more than we think but it's very difficult to get much information (in English, at least) on them.

Here was a map of strong tornaods in China. There were 7 offical EF4 rating tornado since 1949 in China and 3 of them occured in last four years. But there were lots of tornado have no information at all.

Number of strong tornado every 5 years.

 

[Shakespeare2016]

Now that I remember, I know El, Dorado KS was hit in 1958 by a tornado that was ranked F4 but Grazulis thought should be rated F5, but it was hard to justify an F5 rating with available damage photographs. Another one of those borderline cases.

I wish my dad was still here today but he passed away16 years ago. He knew a lot about this tornado as he was born in El Dorado in 1943. He saw damage from both the Udall and El Dorado tornadoes. I don't know how true it is but he told me the El Dorado tornado sucked the wind right out of a woman killing her.

 

[pohnpei]

That is definitely high-end tornado damage. China has gotten some really violent tornado the most recent I think was an EF4. I also never heard of this event either.

There was an EF4 rating tornado in last year on July 3. Tons of videos on Tiktok documented this event, the number of inside tornado footage really shocked me.
Here was the EF4 rating place, it used to be a cafeteria.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

I wish my dad was still here today but he passed away16 years ago. He knew a lot about this tornado as he was born in El Dorado in 1943. He saw damage from both the Udall and El Dorado tornadoes. I don't know how true it is but he told me the El Dorado tornado sucked the wind right out of a woman killing her.

There was a pic on the old threat of people standing on top of an empty foundation that appeared to have well-spaced anchor bolts on the foundation, and apparently this was the one pic that made Grazulis think it should've been an F5, but I'm having a hard time finding it via google images.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

There was an EF4 rating tornado in last year on July 3. Tons of videos on Tiktok documented this event, the number of inside tornado footage really shocked me.
Here was the EF4 rating place, it used to be a cafeteria.
View attachment 3617View attachment 3618View attachment 3620

Forgot about this event, a river cruise ship that was sank & killed 442 people. Depending on what report you read, it was either a tornadic waterspout or downburst that caused the disaster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_Dongfang_zhi_Xing

 

[Shakespeare2016]

There was an EF4 rating tornado in last year on July 3. Tons of videos on Tiktok documented this event, the number of inside tornado footage really shocked me.
Here was the EF4 rating place, it used to be a cafeteria.
View attachment 3617View attachment 3618View attachment 3620

That is definitely at least high-end EF4 damage.