[WeatherOp]

The tornado that wiped out the town of Greensburg has been rated EF-5. Not only is this the first EF5 on the new scale, it is also the first F5 to hit the US in 8 years. It hit the day after the anniversary of 8 years since the Morre, OK F5 of May 3, 1999.

http://www.kake.com/breakingnews/7347256.html

KWCH:

Updated: 12:26pm

The National Weather Service says the tornado that hit Greensburg was an EF-5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. A spokesman for the NWS office out of Dodge City estimates winds were near 205 miles-per-hour. The tornado was about a mile and a half wide.

[Prophet]

Just to make things easier to the rest of the world...

That's about 330 kilometers per hour.
And about 2.5 km wide.


Mother****er, that's huge!

[Mr. Vega]

That big and only 205 mph winds? There have been tornadoes half that size with 260 mph winds.

[WeatherOp]

That big and only 205 mph winds? There have been tornadoes half that size with 260 mph winds.

Depends of what you think. If this was based on the old scale it would have had winds of 280mph or so. But a study found out that winds were not as extreme as they thought. It does not take 300mph winds to level a house, the real fact is about 200mph would do it, thus the EF scale.

So it is a good bet that tornadoes were never as strong as everyone thought.

[WeatherOp]

The words "Holy Crap" come to mind.

[redsniper]

Amazing.

[Herra Tohtori]

"Our position's correct except... no Greensburg!"

 

Here in Finland it was a huge news for the tabloids when a smallish tornado crashed a golf field pavilion (last summer IIRC).


And they say that extreme weather phenomena are bound to increase if/as the climate heats up...

[WeatherOp]

"Our position's correct except... no Greensburg!"

 

Here in Finland it was a huge news for the tabloids when a smallish tornado crashed a golf field pavilion (last summer IIRC).


And they say that extreme weather phenomena are bound to increase if/as the climate heats up...

Not to start anything about climate change, but this had nothing to do with it no matter whats causing it. We were long over due for a F5, and we got one, it's just sad that it nailed a town.

But one thing on the bright side, this could have been much worse. When you see a F5 wipe a town of 1500 off the map you think of hundreds of dead, but only 9 people died. However this should open people's eye, should a tornado like this one hit a major city, Katrina would fade into memory.

[IceFire]

Gotta agree there...the Midwest is and always has been called "tornado alley" for a reason.  Combination of REALLY flat territory and some powerful storms oh and some really killer temperature differences and you have the perfect tornado weather.  That zone of severe tornadoes goes from Texas to Ontario (Canada).  Whats strange for us is that in the last 4-5 years we've seen more tornadoes...where it used to be one every few years was confirmed as a tornado now we get a couple every summer out in the flatter areas of Ontario (where I am its somewhat rugged although I have seen several funnel clouds and one waterspout).  But in the midwest...this is relatively "normal" weather phenomena.  Tragic but not new.

[WeatherOp]

Video of the Tornado.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRm4yu2MI-c

Aerial shots of the damage.

http://www.kansas.com/static/slides/050507tornadoaerials/

What is F5 damage? The two bottom houses(concrete foundations) in this pic.

[Herra Tohtori]

Yeah, I know these things occure naturally in current climate (lol tautology) sometimes, I just expressed my worry over the supposed effect of climate warming that would increase the rate of extreme weather phenomena.

Obviously there are many more factors, but in most simplistic form it could go like more heat -> more thermal energy to use -> more frequent and powerful supercell thunderstorms on locations where they currently are common -> more tornadoes -> also more F5 tornadoes.

But I know it isn't likely just that simple, since there's usually no linear correlations in climate or weather.

[Prophet]

I have to say that the prospect of more badass tornadoes is a bit exiting.

Especially tornadoes with lightning phenomenom interest me (lightning generally get my undivided attention). Good thing summer is coming, I hope we get some serious thunder and lightning this time over here. Though I hope not too often (sucks to be pulling the electric plugs all the time).

[IceFire]

Torandoes with lightning phenomenon?  That sounds interesting.

I take it you've read about the Sprites and other cool lightning related phenomenon?

[WeatherOp]

Yeah, I know these things occure naturally in current climate (lol tautology) sometimes, I just expressed my worry over the supposed effect of climate warming that would increase the rate of extreme weather phenomena.

Obviously there are many more factors, but in most simplistic form it could go like more heat -> more thermal energy to use -> more frequent and powerful supercell thunderstorms on locations where they currently are common -> more tornadoes -> also more F5 tornadoes.

But I know it isn't likely just that simple, since there's usually no linear correlations in climate or weather.

Or it could go, more heat-> stronger ridges->Northern Track jetstream->weaker and fewer storm systems->less wind sheer->less gulf moisture->less supercell thunderstorms->less tornadoes->even fewer F5 tornadoes.

But, I'm just picking at ya.

Back to the tornado, I suspect that most people will start calling this the most powerful tornado on record. But, that is not the case. It is interesting to note, this tornado was a minimum EF-5, causing F5 damage to just a few structures. The same goes for the 1999 Moore, OK tornado, many say the wind measurement of 318mph makes this the most powerful tornado ever and certainly that is not the case. The winds were hundreds of feet of the ground, and no evidence that winds speeds even close to that reached the surface.

But , to really see what a strong F5 can do, you have to look farther back to Legendary twisters such as the 1974 Xenia, Oh, F5, and the 1974 Guin, AL, F5, and even the 1977 Smithfield, AL, F5(pic below).



Imagine the force it would take to do that to not just one or two houses, but every one along that block, you couldn't clean it much better.

[Prophet]

Torandoes with lightning phenomenon?  That sounds interesting.

I take it you've read about the Sprites and other cool lightning related phenomenon?

There have been sightings of lightning and flashing in tornadoes.
Oh, and then there is this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado_plasma_hypothesis


I'm generally quite nocturnal. Darkness is cool because sometimes you see cool stuff. If I ever saw a will-o-the-wisp or ball lightning in the dark, I would probably die out of sheer joy. In addition, I have quite a restless imagination so when I'm alone in the dark, exited doesn't quite cover it. It's something like fear mixed with constant orgasm.

[Sandwich]

That settles it. Everyone in tornado-prone areas should move to live in the streets. And when I say "in", I mean "in" as in "inside" - there's no damage to those roads at all!

[Ulala]

It's something like fear mixed with constant orgasm.

  Where do I get some of whatever it is?

[IceFire]

Torandoes with lightning phenomenon?  That sounds interesting.

I take it you've read about the Sprites and other cool lightning related phenomenon?

There have been sightings of lightning and flashing in tornadoes.
Oh, and then there is this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado_plasma_hypothesis


I'm generally quite nocturnal. Darkness is cool because sometimes you see cool stuff. If I ever saw a will-o-the-wisp or ball lightning in the dark, I would probably die out of sheer joy. In addition, I have quite a restless imagination so when I'm alone in the dark, exited doesn't quite cover it. It's something like fear mixed with constant orgasm.

Sounds interesting...love some of that edge of science stuff.  Some of it will find its way to the mainstream at some point.

[WeatherOp]

Lightning in or close to tornadoes is actually common. No one really knows why, but Supercells are known to really increase lightning production right before dropping a tornado, allthough it's not a sure-fire way to tell if one is on the ground.

It is generally thought that the lightning increase comes from the updraft strengthening. While the lightning in a tornado could be caused by the extra friction, or possibly the tornado lofting debris, so the lightning hits the debris like it does a tall tree.

That settles it. Everyone in tornado-prone areas should move to live in the streets. And when I say "in", I mean "in" as in "inside" - there's no damage to those roads at all!

Yeah, but some tornadoes rip up the streets. 

[Sandwich]

It'd still be a damn sight safer than PLYWOOD HOUSES.