Significant Tornado Events

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

So, I'm a Patreon member of TornadoTalk and I get emails about their projects and such; one of the emails I got recently mentioned that they're traveling across the Midwest and South to get information on a bunch of 4/3/74 tornadoes for the 50th anniversary of the outbreak next year for future articles. Currently they're working on a multi-part piece on the Franklin County, KY F4 that struck Alton, Kentucky that will be available soon (behind a paywall, of course) and that several other tornadoes are on their list for their Super Outbreak project, including Guin and both of the Tanner tornadoes. So my 4/3/2024 we might finally get a bunch of damage photos from Guin, AL and nearby areas. Looking forward to it.
So, 4/3/2024 is the earliest a Guin photo dump will likely be available.

 

[Western_KS_Wx]

Yeah he downgraded 4 F5’s and what looks like 9 F4’s from April 3 1974. Really curious as to what his reasoning behind that was and which tornadoes got downgraded. Also curious as to why he left 4/27/2011 at 4 EF5’s, I think you could argue at the least 2 EF4’s from that day could be bumped up. Who knows, kind of wondering if there’s a secondary person or source influencing him to keep the ratings the same for violent tornadoes from the more modern day events.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

Yeah he downgraded 4 F5’s and what looks like 9 F4’s from April 3 1974. Really curious as to what his reasoning behind that was and which tornadoes got downgraded. Also curious as to why he left 4/27/2011 at 4 EF5’s, I think you could argue at the least 2 EF4’s from that day could be bumped up. Who knows, kind of wondering if there’s a secondary person or source influencing him to keep the ratings the same for violent tornadoes from the more modern day events.

I have no desire to purchase the SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES update, as it seems like he isn't really changing all that much. Apparently he's going with EF4 for Vilonia, I mean, really?

 

[CheeselandSkies]

It passed without notice on here but Friday was the 10th anniversary of the November 2013 tornado outbreak that included the Washington, IL EF4.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

It passed without notice on here but Friday was the 10th anniversary of the November 2013 tornado outbreak that included the Washington, IL EF4.

On that topic, this video. Aside from a great example of what NOT to do when a tornado approaches, it's probably the most incredible near-miss of death by tornado out there (or one of them). Note at 2:40 or so on the lower right of the screen the piece of roof slamming into the ground; it's a blink and you'll miss it moment.

 

[Western_KS_Wx]

On that topic, this video. Aside from a great example of what NOT to do when a tornado approaches, it's probably the most incredible near-miss of death by tornado out there (or one of them). Note at 2:40 or so on the lower right of the screen the piece of roof slamming into the ground; it's a blink and you'll miss it moment.

I’ve never noticed that chunk of roof imbedding itself into the ground in that video, that’s insane.

Probably the strongest tornado ever documented in the month of November and one of the most violent winter-time tornadoes too. These aerials will always be extremely impressive:



I have a hard time believing that out of the literal sea of homes that were completely wiped off their foundation there wasn’t at least one home that didn’t meet the criteria for an EF5 rating, especially given how large and recently-constructed those homes were in that neighborhood, unless the builders really did just skip all the proper building codes (which I highly doubt.)

Also have seen the argument that the homes swept clean didn’t have their subflooring removed, which is also a flawed point as seen in the aerials and this photo:


Then there’s this pretty hefty swath of wind-rowing the tornado left behind, which is easily the most violent case of wind-rowing I’ve seen in a winter-time tornado, and is also a pretty clear indicator just how violent the tornado was:

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

I’ve never noticed that chunk of roof imbedding itself into the ground in that video, that’s insane.

Probably the strongest tornado ever documented in the month of November and one of the most violent winter-time tornadoes too. These aerials will always be extremely impressive:
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I have a hard time believing that out of the literal sea of homes that were completely wiped off their foundation there wasn’t at least one home that didn’t meet the criteria for an EF5 rating, especially given how large and recently-constructed those homes were in that neighborhood, unless the builders really did just skip all the proper building codes (which I highly doubt.)

Also have seen the argument that the homes swept clean didn’t have their subflooring removed, which is also a flawed point as seen in the aerials and this photo:
View attachment 22126

Then there’s this pretty hefty swath of wind-rowing the tornado left behind, which is easily the most violent case of wind-rowing I’ve seen in a winter-time tornado, and is also a pretty clear indicator just how violent the tornado was:
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The wind-rowing from this or one of the February 1971 Mississippi Delta tornadoes is likely the most extreme damage I've seen from a winter tornado, based on TornadoTalk's articles on 1971. Yeah, this should've been rated EF5, and was likely a precursor to the Vilonia debacle.

 

[Equus]

Speaking of significant tornadoes

 

[Tomcats Forever!]

Speaking of significant tornadoes

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Have a chance to get started on it yet?

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

Speaking of significant tornadoes

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So the F5-F6 tornadoes book does exist after all?

 

[TH2002]

Speaking of significant tornadoes

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I didn't want to be the one to ask, but...

Can you post the entry for Vilonia so we can finally put the curiosity to rest?

 

[Tomcats Forever!]

I'm kinda curious about which tornadoes from 74 he downgraded. Sayler park seems a gimme.

 

[KevinH]

Saw this tweet from today and it made me laugh

https://x.com/bleacherreport/status/1727055723769815129?s=46&t=NBCFVgjjJLxach1Cmkmpsw

 

[Equus]

So the F5-F6 tornadoes book does exist after all?

Only know of like, one other copy that anyone has talked about in the last decade or so but at least a few exist, randomly found it on Amazon

I didn't want to be the one to ask, but...

Can you post the entry for Vilonia so we can finally put the curiosity to rest?

I'm not noticing any rating changes, seems the expansion is mostly just documentation (with many full color photos) and the occasional opinion on tornadoes that hit very little but were probably much stronger; Vilonia is listed as EF4, the only opinion being some homes in Parkwood Meadows had questionable anchoring

I'm kinda curious about which tornadoes from 74 he downgraded. Sayler park seems a gimme.

Looks like all the original 1974 ratings are intact, a few new photos (including from Jasper pretty close to home, interesting to see) but not seeing significant changes

 

[Lake Martin EF4]

I'm not noticing any rating changes, seems the expansion is mostly just documentation (with many full color photos) and the occasional opinion on tornadoes that hit very little but were probably much stronger; Vilonia is listed as EF4, the only opinion being some homes in Parkwood Meadows had questionable anchoring

Does it include that explanation he mentioned when he said he was walking back the EF5 rating?

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

Only know of like, one other copy that anyone has talked about in the last decade or so but at least a few exist, randomly found it on Amazon



I'm not noticing any rating changes, seems the expansion is mostly just documentation (with many full color photos) and the occasional opinion on tornadoes that hit very little but were probably much stronger; Vilonia is listed as EF4, the only opinion being some homes in Parkwood Meadows had questionable anchoring



Looks like all the original 1974 ratings are intact, a few new photos (including from Jasper pretty close to home, interesting to see) but not seeing significant changes

What did he say about Goldsby & Chickasha 2011, Chapman 2016 & Tuscaloosa-Birmingham?
Also, from 1974 are there any photos from Guin?

 

[TH2002]

I'm not noticing any rating changes, seems the expansion is mostly just documentation (with many full color photos) and the occasional opinion on tornadoes that hit very little but were probably much stronger; Vilonia is listed as EF4, the only opinion being some homes in Parkwood Meadows had questionable anchoring

When it's been stated many times that Parkwood Meadows isn't the area in question to begin with...

Oh well. He did say he wasn't going to upgrade it, so no surprise there.

 

[Ivanthetornadoenthusiast]

When it's been stated many times that Parkwood Meadows isn't the area in question to begin with...

Oh well. He did say he wasn't going to upgrade it, so no surprise there.

What does he thinks about Harper 2004?

 

[TH2002]

What does he thinks about Harper 2004?

That would be a question for @Equus since he's the one that owns the new book. Still, from what I hear Grazulis changed very few (if any) ratings from their official counterparts, so I doubt he upgraded Harper.

 

[TH2002]

Speaking of Vilonia and the conservative shroud it cast over many WFO's for years after, the 4/28/14 Limestone County, AL tornado from the same outbreak was slapped with a low-end EF3 rating despite some of the damage being potentially violent. Multiple homes were obliterated and slabbed, and extensive wind rowing of debris occurred in some areas.


*these aerials from Sellers Photo were taken the day after the tornado, so no cleanup here.