Good read. The timeline charts in the paper for EF4 tornadoes (increased frequency since EF scale implementation) and EF5 tornadoes (significantly down since implementation of EF scale) make this paper particularly compelling.
One of the two survey teams found the Tuscaloosa (2011-04-27) tornado had EF5 damage. Not sure why the final rating ended up being EF4. Maybe someone that has more knowledge than I do will comment, but I’m guessing the lesser of the two ratings is what is assigned?
All of this is a purely academic discussion. The difference between EF4 and EF5 damage is trivial (both are absolutely horrendous!), but seeing this data plotted in this paper has certainly shed some light on the topic in a way I had not graphically seen.
190 mph as the low-end for EF5 seems appropriate to me.
Good read. The timeline charts in the paper for EF4 tornadoes (increased frequency since EF scale implementation) and EF5 tornadoes (significantly down since implementation of EF scale) make this paper particularly compelling.
One of the two survey teams found the Tuscaloosa… https://t.co/IUe8fDTZac
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) February 2, 2025