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Poke-Party t1_iuaior3 wrote

Likely more of a product of lack of EF5 caliber tornadoes hitting something that would qualify as an EF5 rating. Remember, the rating scale is based on DAMAGE not wind speed. Therefore, if it doesn’t hit an extremely well built structure the maximum rating it can be given is EF4.

El Reno, OK 2013 had measured wind speeds using radar over 300 mph but failed to hit anything to give it an EF5 rating.

Basically, it’s very difficult to say whether the gap we are seeing is simply bad (good?) luck or part of some overall trend.

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zenith3200 t1_iubvffy wrote

Exactly, there've been probably a dozen or more tornadoes over the last decade that have clearly produced wind speeds that are in excess of EF5-strength ratings but they never hit anything. El Reno being the biggest case in point on that.

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