F6 Tornadoes-What's the Closest We've Come?

[Saul Trabal]

I've heard that the Fujita scale has an F6 classification, which is for tornaodes with winds past 318 miles an hour. What tornadoes have come close to hitting this? I was wondering if the 1991 (?) Andover Kansas tornado was anywhere in this vicinity; I remember reading that its winds were over 300 mph.

[nickgrillo]

I recall hearing the 1974 Xenia, OH tornado came close.

..Nick..

[mikegeukes]

Tornadoes I have read that were very strong F-5's

March 18 1925: Tri-state" Tornado
April 09 1947: Woodward OK Tornado
April 03, 1974: Xenia OH Tornado (came close from what I have heard)
April 26 1991: Andover KS Tornado
May 03, 1999: Bridge Creek, Moore OK Tornado

Mike

[Shane Adams]

I'd guess most scientists and engineers would say "never," since most of them don't believe any F-scale winds are correct. F6 tornadoes could never be identified in a damage survey (because F5 winds obliterate everything and remove debris), therefore the F6 is a contradiction to its own scale, which is based solely on destruction.

[Robert Dewey]

The "F" scale actually goes up to F12... F6 or greater was never expected to be reached, so it isn't commonly shown on most scales. Since the "F" scale is purely a damage scale, and F5 is the worst damage you can have (everything swept away), it would be near impossible to reach F6 damage...

[nickgrillo]

Well what if just don't only obliterate the house... but also dig a trench along it's path?

[Robert Dewey]

Well what if just don't only obliterate the house... but also dig a trench along it's path?

Well, if that tornado that digs a trench doesn't hit any structures or trees, it would be rated probably no higher than F0, because it caused no damage.

Put that same tornado over a town, and it wipes out everything, it would probably be an F5, or maybe what some would call a strong F5. Once the house is swept away (which F5 winds will do), the tornado can't do any more damage to it, leaving it at an F5 rating...

[Saul Trabal]

I'd guess most scientists and engineers would say "never," since most of them don't believe any F-scale winds are correct. F6 tornadoes could never be identified in a damage survey (because F5 winds obliterate everything and remove debris), therefore the F6 is a contradiction to its own scale, which is based solely on destruction.

So-why bother having this F6 classification then? Was there a reason for Mr. Fujita to have classifications from F6 on up?

:?

[Bill Hamilton]

I remember someone on an Oklahoma City news channel say that one of the D.O.W. trucks close to Bridgecreek on I-44 near the toll gate registered the May 3, 1999 tornado at 321mph for a very brief moment which would have made it an F6 tornado. They talked about it a little on the news but then dropped the topic a few days later. I believe an F6 is possible but it would have to annihilate everything (steel posts, billboard poles, bridges, etc..) in its path before anyone would believe it.

I have a video tape of that May 3, 1999 F-5 Oklahoma City tornado. The back of the box and the tape itself said they had a Doppler on Wheels tracking that storm. It measured 318 mph at one point. Too bad the F scale measures by damage alone, not the wind speed. If we ever go to the wind speed scale instead of the damage scale, then the OK City tornado would stand as a true F-6 class storm. 8)