List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes

This is a list of all official rated and authoritatively suggested probable F5 tornadoes ever recorded. Also included are the official Enhanced Fujita Scale EF5 tornadoes – the replacement of the older tornado classification system in the United States – which came into effect in February 2007.

Since structures are completely destroyed in both cases, the difference between F4 and F5 is perhaps the most difficult rating to determine.cite book |last=Grazulis |first=Thomas P. |authorlink=Thomas P. Grazulis |title=Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. A Chronology and Analysis of Events |publisher=The Tornado Project of Environmental Films |date=July 1993 |location=St. Johnsbury, VT |isbn=1879362031 ]

Official F5 tornadoes

. [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f5torns.html F5 and EF5 Tornadoes of the United States - 1950-present (SPC)]

No tornadoes prior to 1950 were officially ranked F5, due to inadequate engineering data and other information on the historical tornadoes. From 1950 - 1970 tornadoes were assessed retrogressively, primarily using information recorded in government databases, and newspaper photographs and descriptions. Beginning in 1971, tornadoes were rated by the NWS using on-site damage surveys.cite journal |last=McDonald |first= James R. |authorlink=James R. McDonald |title=T. Theodore Fujita: His Contribution to Tornado Knowledge through Damage Documentation and the Fujita Scale |journal=Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society |volume=82 |issue=1 |pages=63–72 |publisher=American Meteorological Society |date=January 2001 |url=http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0477(2001)000%3C0063%3ATTFHCT%3E2.3.CO%3B2 |doi=10.1175/1520-0477(2001)000<0063:TTFHCT>2.3.CO;2 ]

For United States tornadoes as of February 1, 2007, the Fujita scale has been recalibrated to more accurately match tornado speeds with their damage and to augment and refine damage descriptors. The new system is called the Enhanced Fujita scale. No earlier tornadoes will be reclassified, and no new tornadoes in the United States will be rated F5.

Total: 51

See also

* Tornado intensity and damage
* List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
* List of tornadoes striking downtown areas
* Tornado myths

References

* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center / Storm Prediction Center. "Storm Data".

External links

* [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f5torns.html F5 Tornadoes in the U.S. since 1950 (SPC/NOAA)]
* [http://www.castorweather.com/USF4F5.htm Lists all F4 and F5 tornadoes up to June 1999]
* [http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado.php?yr=%25&mo=%25&day=%25&st=%25&fu=5&co=&l=500&submit=Table&ddat=on&dsta=on&dfuj=on&dfat=on&dinj=on&dwid=on&dlen=on&dcou=on&format=basic&p=1&s=1 Tornado History Project] F5 tornadoes since 1950 overlaid on a Google Map
* [http://www.tornadoproject.com/ The Tornado Project]
* [http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/users/brooks/public_html/concannon/ Climatological Risk of Strong and Violent Tornadoes in the United States (Paper 9.4, Second Conference on Environmental Applications)]
* [http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/hazard/ Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Climatology (NSSL)]
* [http://www.tornadoproject.com/fscale/fscale.htm#top Fujita Scale]

Canadian sources

* [http://archives.cbc.ca/IDT-1-70-8/disasters_tragedies/extreme_weather/ Extreme Weather at the CBC.ca Archives]
* [http://www.pnr-rpn.ec.gc.ca/air/summersevere/ae00s02.en.html Environment Canada's information page on Tornadoes]
* [http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/naturalhazards/majortornadoes Canadian Atlas of strong tornadoes]
* [http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/naturalhazards/majortornadoes/tornadoes_stats_new.html List of strong tornadoes from 1879 to present]