An EF5 tornado is one of the most catastrophic weather events on earth. Monstrous twisters of this magnitude can destroy entire neighborhoods in the blink of an eye, grow to be more than a mile wide, and pack winds of over 200mph. On May 20, 2013, an extremely powerful tornado destroyed a huge part of Moore, Okla., and 11 years later it remains the most recent tornado to be rated EF5 — the strong possible rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The 11-year gap is the longest since the official U.S. records began in 1950. Before the Moore tornado, the blockbuster tornado season in 2011 led to the confirmation of five EF5 twisters, including the Joplin, Mo., EF5 that killed 161 people. A total of 50 tornadoes have been rated EF5 since 1950. Because most weather instruments can’t survive tornadoes, the EF scale estimates tornado strength based on National Weather Service staff investigating damage indicators. Damage to a well-constructed building is the most common factor that helps the NWS confirm an EF5, yet many homes in the U.S. don't meet that criteria. Many houses are missing key features to be considered wind resistant, disqualifying them from being used to determine if a twister reached EF5 status.
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Aftermath of the Moore, Oklahoma, EF5 tornado
