I feel like often when truly violent (EF4/mostly EF5 tornadoes) go through an area it sort of gets that 'look'. Mud caked buildings and vehicles, intense wind rowing, little visible debris, dark muddy fields. This tornado definitely had that.
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Significant Tornado Events
- Thread starter locomusic01
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SouthFLwx
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Out of all the controversial tornado ratings that have been discussed before, I’m surprised that this one hasn’t gained much attention because this is clearly EF5 damage.
The context to me seems like pretty clear EF5 damage, like you said. I think most of the homes in the higher context were quite small and didn't have connections per DAT. I think it is probably hard to justify an EF5 rating post 2011 without proper anchoring. The church seems a bit different, I don't know anything about engineering or construction so can't make a very insightful comment really. Some debris on the foundation is still there, but contextual damage here and especially in the background is very intense. Probably quite borderline but could see EF4/190 being justified, but again I'm completely unqualified and unknowledgeable in engineering and home construction.
eric11
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The ground scouring of this thing was definitely EF5 level, here' s what it looks like in and out of town
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locomusic01
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Speaking of which, I was reading through a 2008 paper on the Hudsonville outbreak recently and I noticed Grazulis was one of the reviewers. One of the things he sort of took issue with was the paper definitively labeling Hudsonville as an F5 (it's F4 in the book but the description mentions it "probably reached F5"). Among his other comments, he also said: "Slab construction homes may never get a '5' rating again."
I found all of that interesting for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that he seems to share the more conservative/strict rating philosophy that's been developing in recent years. Since he said he saw no compelling evidence to assign Hudsonville an F5, I have to assume that also means he doesn't give much weight to contextual damage (which, as in Pilger, was pretty extreme).
Anyway, didn't wanna go too far down the rating rabbit hole but it popped into my head.
Lake Martin EF4
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eric11
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Pilger almost did one of the most violent Silo damage all of time, including large heavily loaded silos being ripped off, thrown hundreds of yards and torn into pieces
Also here's a car damage collection, mostly in rural area NE of Pilger.
Also here's a car damage collection, mostly in rural area NE of Pilger.Grazulis has always had a pretty strict rating system. It is plainly evident in the appendices to his earlier Sig Tor books.
Western_KS_Wx
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A lot of the homes in Pilger were constructed on CMU foundations with no anchor bolts although one home did actually have anchor bolts however they were too widely spaced. The damage to the church was extreme, trees and shrubs were also completely debarked and ground scouring occurred as well. Vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards into fields northeast of town as well including a giant piece of debris (I think it might’ve been from the grain bins but I’m not sure?). But yeah Pilger was definitely a lot more intense than people realize.
SouthFLwx
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I have never seen these pictures before. That is some very intense ground scouring.
CheeselandSkies
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It's also the 30th anniversary of the most prolific day of the June 1992 tornado outbreak, including the Chandler, MN F5.
OHWX97
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Extreme damage produced by the Stanton EF4, the first tornado in the Pilger family.
The extremely impressive tree damage credited to the Pilger East EF4, however, it is worth noting this occurred where the Pilger and Piger East paths intersected.
The extremely impressive tree damage credited to the Pilger East EF4, however, it is worth noting this occurred where the Pilger and Piger East paths intersected.
SouthFLwx
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That second pic is a “classic”.
There was at least one house in a rural area outside of Pilger that seemed like an EF5 candidate. It was a well-anchored home with a poured concrete basement foundation. It had closely-spaced anchor bolts, and was totally obliterated and swept clean. The subfloor was torn off and blown away, and extreme contextual damage occurred within the vicinity.
Problem is, the aftermath photo clearly shows a pickup truck that slammed into the foundation stem wall with such force that it bent and cracked the stem wall, obviously resulting in major structural issues. If there’s a classic example of collateral damage ruining a likely upgrade, it’d be that house and truck.
Problem is, the aftermath photo clearly shows a pickup truck that slammed into the foundation stem wall with such force that it bent and cracked the stem wall, obviously resulting in major structural issues. If there’s a classic example of collateral damage ruining a likely upgrade, it’d be that house and truck.
That first tree damage photo stacks up pretty well against some of the most violent debarking photographed (Bridge Creek, Joplin, Bassfield, Louisville, Moore, Buckeye, Hackleburg, Vilonia, ect).
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locomusic01
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Got a rough path done for Ruskin Heights; one area of interest is east of Ottawa/south of Wellsville, where it's possible there may've been a break. The rest of the path(s?) is definitely continuous though.
SGFmoTwister
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Got a rough path done for Ruskin Heights; one area of interest is east of Ottawa/south of Wellsville, where it's possible there may've been a break. The rest of the path(s?) is definitely continuous though.
It changed appearance several times during those 71 miles.
eric11
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@pohnpei once mentioned those extreme tree debarking were almost done by Pilger east alone, Pilger west was about 500 yards away from the debarking area at the closest proximity, so that's why put Pilger east as a EF5 candidate for sure
Krista Giese has a collection for that grove of trees.
here's what the aerial looks like at the farm hit by Pilger east, you can find some completely debarked trees to the left of the photo
eric11
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The first and fourth pic you posted were at the same location, here's what it lookd like immediately after the tornado went through, the stone steps was ripped off the foundation and cracked, trees in front of the house and across the road all suffered from severe debarking
A closer look of one of the mutilated vehicle
And a combine embedded into the mud
here's some extreme low lying shrubbery damage at the end of the path, note how the ground was scoured.
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