Significant Tornado Events

[David in SW Blount]

This may have been discussed already somewhere in these 150 thread pages, but I'm wondering what tornado of the modern era (when ratings were carefully done) had the longest path between verified F5 or EF-5 damage markers? The Hackleburg-Phil Campbell tornado produced EF-5 damage along a 27.6 mile stretch from SW of Hackleburg to near Mt. Hope in Lawrence County (unless I'm overlooking some markers, but I don't think so). Not only that, but EF-5 markers appear regularly along those 27.6 miles. Have any tornadoes topped this one?

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

This may have been discussed already somewhere in these 150 thread pages, but I'm wondering what tornado of the modern era (when ratings were carefully done) had the longest path between verified F5 or EF-5 damage markers? The Hackleburg-Phil Campbell tornado produced EF-5 damage along a 27.6 mile stretch from SW of Hackleburg to near Mt. Hope in Lawrence County (unless I'm overlooking some markers, but I don't think so). Not only that, but EF-5 markers appear regularly along those 27.6 miles. Have any tornadoes topped this one?
View attachment 8245

The Tri-State tornado possibly

 

[speedbump305]

I’m gonna say this right now, out of all the EF4/EF5 tree damage that i have seen, Bassfield has produced the most impressive i have ever seen. Yes even more intense than Smithvilles softwood tree damage next to the funeral home. The tree damage bassfield did was just remarkable and solidified as one of the strongest in dixie history. along with the tree damage, the cabin that was destroyed was extremely impressive, vehicle damage was extremely intense, ground scouring occured, and forests were just mowed down. Bassfield was just an absolutely incredible tornado. a side for the damage, the size was remarkable. A 2.25 mile wide tornado

 

[pohnpei]

This may have been discussed already somewhere in these 150 thread pages, but I'm wondering what tornado of the modern era (when ratings were carefully done) had the longest path between verified F5 or EF-5 damage markers? The Hackleburg-Phil Campbell tornado produced EF-5 damage along a 27.6 mile stretch from SW of Hackleburg to near Mt. Hope in Lawrence County (unless I'm overlooking some markers, but I don't think so). Not only that, but EF-5 markers appear regularly along those 27.6 miles. Have any tornadoes topped this one?
View attachment 8245

I think it's largely meaningless to compare these data. For example, it seems that Hackleburg maintained more than 20 miles EF5 intensity and Moore OK 2013 had only 9 EF5 rating places and Bridge Creek Ok 1999 had only 17 EF5 rating places which was quite fragmentary compared to its entire path.
But the rating criterion among different NWS on different tornado event was so SO different.
There was hugh mount of DI like MHSW, Softwood trees, hardwood trees, vehicle had been rated EF5 along Hackleburg's path. These pictures below were very small part of it and we know that no way softwood tree damage can be rated EF5 under any circumstance(let alone the pics they showed was not completely debarked). In contrast, despite of tons and tons of extreme tree damage of Moore OK tornado, there was only one place had been rated EF4 tree damage by NWS Norman.
Someone in reddit recently also found this survey questionable in other aspect:


These questionable rating mainly occurred in NWS Huntsville section but also in NWS Brimingham
NWS Brimingham mentioned the reason of EF5 rating in there section:

Hackleburg Tornado - April 27, 2011

The main indicators of Hackleburg having EF-5 damage is the tossing of vehicles upwards of 150-200 yards, one well built home with 4 sides brick was completely leveled and the debris from the home was tossed to the north over 40 yards, and there was large amounts of wind rowing, the strewing of building materials in straight lines, around the city of Hackleburg.

Actually this "well built house" mentioned here was questioned by Tim Marshall. It seems that it was in fact not well built. Also vehicle tossed 150-200 yards as an EF5 indicator was very liberal compared to rating nowadays.

As these questionable rating above, Hackleburg was still the strongest tornado in the history to me and it maintained high intensity for increible long time. Just wnat to say it have to consider more when comparing these data between different tornados.
And I honestly don't think Tri State tornado maintained EF5 strength for like 100 miles or so. But it also depends on your definition about "EF5 strength". If say EF5 rating for 100 miles continuously, no way any tornado can do this under rating criterion nowadays.

 

[Brice Wood]

One of the most fascinating tornadoes I’ve ever looked, The El Reno tornado from 2011. It surpassed all April 27 tornadoes in terms of intensity, you can see the house behind was completely swept away with some remains still left

 

[speedbump305]

View attachment 8256One of the most fascinating tornadoes I’ve ever looked, The El Reno tornado from 2011. It surpassed all April 27 tornadoes in terms of intensity, you can see the house behind was completely swept away with some remains still left

In my opinion, El Reno 2011 was quite possibly one of the most violent of the year

 

[pohnpei]

View attachment 8256One of the most fascinating tornadoes I’ve ever looked, The El Reno tornado from 2011. It surpassed all April 27 tornadoes in terms of intensity, you can see the house behind was completely swept away with some remains still left

The more I know about this tornado, the more I am in awe of this tornado's extreme intensity. Both peak of this tornado along I40 and north of piedmont was among one of the strongest ever recorded. Even some damage near US81 was also extreme.

 

[locomusic01]

I think it's really difficult to differentiate at that sort of extreme intensity, but El Reno was exceptionally violent and would have been viewed as a historic event in almost any other year. It's often overshadowed by the April 27 tornadoes, but it shouldn't be. It didn't strike as many traditional DIs, but the contextual damage speaks for itself.

 

[Brice Wood]

In my opinion, El Reno 2011 was quite possibly one of the most violent of the year

Indeed it was it tossed an oil tanker at least a mile, balled up and mangled cars, some we not be recognized, this tornado is really one for history to remember yet it still seems like it’s underrated because of the April 27 outbreak

 

[Brice Wood]

I think it's really difficult to differentiate at that sort of extreme intensity, but El Reno was exceptionally violent and would have been viewed as a historic event in almost any other year. It's often overshadowed by the April 27 tornadoes, but it shouldn't be. It didn't strike as many traditional DIs, but the contextual damage speaks for itself.

And I think that outbreak takes all the context away from how violent this tornado actually was, if we didn’t have the April 27 outbreak we would be talking about this tornado so much and for a long time

 

[pohnpei]

Some damage El reno torndao made near piedmont area was just as extreme as it near I-40. That red SUV damage also occurred in this area, three houses in this area rated 200MPH.

 

[Brice Wood]

Some damage El reno torndao made near piedmont area was just as extreme as it near I-40. That red SUV damage also occurred in this area, three houses in this area rated 200MPH.

Not to mention the tree damage was very eye popping but not to the extent of some tornadoes

 

[TH2002]

El Reno 2011 was at least rated appropriately. Chickasha and Goldsby on the other hand...

 

[Brice Wood]

El Reno 2011 was at least rated appropriately. Chickasha and Goldsby on the other hand...

very true

 

[locomusic01]

Not to mention the tree damage was very eye popping but not to the extent of some tornadoes

Not so sure about that. El Reno debarked and denuded everything from large, mature trees down to low-lying shrubs.

(This, btw, is the tanker that was thrown over a mile. Also a shipping container right behind it.)

 

[locomusic01]

View attachment 8260

Do you happen to know where this last photo was taken? I've had it saved in my folder for this tornado but haven't gotten around to tracking down the exact location yet.

 

[pohnpei]

Do you happen to know where this last photo was taken? I've had it saved in my folder for this tornado but haven't gotten around to tracking down the exact location yet.

Yes, it was near Northridge Lane Piedmont where two rows of houses were destroyed. These houses only rated low end EF4 with winds 170mph but the contextual damage nearby was as extreme as it can get. Vehicle all tossed downwind and mangled, all types of vegatation completely debarked, ground scoured, wind rowing, debris from the house cut into the ground.

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

Next post about the May 6, 1965 tornado outbreak. This time I will talk about the Glencoe F3. This tornado touched down 3.4 miles E of New Auburn and moved NNE cutting a narrow erratic swath through the countryside. As it crossed Hwy 212 1.75 miles E of Glencoe, it struck vehicles on the highway. One was a truck that was thrown 200 yards while the other one was a car that was thrown 33 yards. The tornado continued through rural areas, destroying 25 farm buildings. As the tornado started to rope out, it struck a church-school complex. Both were nearly leveled at high-end F3 intensity with nearby trees being debarked. The tornado dissipated 2 miles NW of Lester Prairie.

 

[Marshal79344]

The thing with most violent tornadoes is that you usually do quite an in-depth search to find the most violent damage photos from an event, such as the Bassfield Tornado, where it occurred in a relatively small area at the start of the path. However, with El Reno 2011, you didn't even have to look far. There was extreme contextual damage yelling "EF5 TORNADO" everywhere, at nearly everywhere along the path. Goldsby, Chickasha, and Canton Lake were all extraordinarily violent in their own right, but the intensity reached by the 2011 El Reno Tornado was absolutely ridiculous. It definitely earned its spot as one of the most violent tornadoes ever documented in history.

Here's one picture that stunned me the most. You can see, how despite the rather rural nature of this site, every single strip of the bark has been ripped off of the vegetation at left. If you look in the foreground, you can see how tiny the pieces are the debris has been granulated into.



This is a perfect example of a tornado so incredibly violent that it made the jobs of the clean-up crews much easier than other examples. There wasn't much left to see at several of the impact sites. Those in the path, I'd be surprised if they were even found in one piece. I sincerely doubt it.

 

[speedbump305]

The thing with most violent tornadoes is that you usually do quite an in-depth search to find the most violent damage photos from an event, such as the Bassfield Tornado, where it occurred in a relatively small area at the start of the path. However, with El Reno 2011, you didn't even have to look far. There was extreme contextual damage yelling "EF5 TORNADO" everywhere, at nearly everywhere along the path. Goldsby, Chickasha, and Canton Lake were all extraordinarily violent in their own right, but the intensity reached by the 2011 El Reno Tornado was absolutely ridiculous. It definitely earned its spot as one of the most violent tornadoes ever documented in history.

Here's one picture that stunned me the most. You can see, how despite the rather rural nature of this site, every single strip of the bark has been ripped off of the vegetation at left. If you look in the foreground, you can see how tiny the pieces are the debris has been granulated into.

View attachment 8274

This is a perfect example of a tornado so incredibly violent that it made the jobs of the clean-up crews much easier than other examples. There wasn't much left to see at several of the impact sites. Those in the path, I'd be surprised if they were even found in one piece. I sincerely doubt it.

I’m honestly not shocked if El Reno produced more extreme damage than smithville or hackleburg, i honestly have a feeling a foundation of a house was for sure damaged in this tornado