What is the biggest tornado in the world?

The biggest tornado in the world, measured by width, is the 2013 El Reno, Oklahoma tornado, which reached an astounding 2.6 miles wide, making it the widest ever recorded. While other tornadoes might be stronger in wind speed (like the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado) or deadlier (like the 1925 Tri-State Tornado), the El Reno twister holds the record for sheer size, with its massive circulation encompassing multiple vortices and engulfing areas near Oklahoma City.

What is the largest tornado ever recorded?

The biggest tornado ever recorded by width was the 2013 El Reno, Oklahoma tornado, which reached an incredible 2.6 miles across, making it the widest on record, though the 1925 Tri-State Tornado holds records for deadliest and longest track, traveling over 200 miles and killing nearly 700 people. The El Reno tornado had chaotic, powerful winds but wasn't fully organized as a single condensation funnel, while Hallam, Nebraska (2004) had the widest organized funnel. 

Was there ever a F6 tornado?

Frame-home structural damage cannot exceed total destruction and debris dispersal, which constitutes F5 damage. Tornadoes with wind speeds over 319 mph (513 km/h) are possible and such extreme gusts have been determined using mobile radar observation, but no tornado has received an official damage-based F6 rating.

Is a 350 mph tornado possible?

"Tornadoes combine terrifyingly powerful wind speeds — 300–350 mph, maybe even 550 mph…."

Has there ever been an F12 tornado?

While the F- (and EF-) scale used for tornadoes top out at F5, the scale technically went all the way up to F12. That's Mach 1 speed (738 miles per hour). Clearly, there have been no recorded storms on earth that have ever produced wind speeds that fast!

El Reno - The Largest Tornado In Recorded History

Is a 400 mph tornado possible?

While 400 mph tornadoes are extremely rare and possibly at the theoretical limit, they haven't been definitively confirmed, with the strongest reliably measured winds around 300-305 mph (like the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore, OK tornado) and radar detecting brief gusts over 300 mph (like El Reno 2013), but these are usually higher up; many scientists believe winds exceeding 300 mph become less likely due to energy and pressure constraints, though the EF-5 scale has no upper limit.
 

Why was April 27, 2011 so bad?

On this day April 27th 2011 A 3 day long tornado super outbreak was underway across portions of the Deep South. The 27th proved to be the worst day with 216 reported tornadoes 324 fatalities and over 3000 injured.

Can a tornado pick up a Boeing 747?

Also, the wings would make the 747 more aerodynamic than the dead weight of a locomotive. So theoretically it would be possible for a 747 to be picked up by a strong tornado.

Can you nuke a tornado?

No, you cannot nuke a tornado, as it's extremely dangerous, ineffective, and would likely cause more destruction than the storm itself, creating radioactive fallout and potentially spawning new twisters from the immense energy involved in the parent thunderstorm. Scientists at NOAA and other agencies confirm that the energy in a tornado and its supercell is so vast that conventional or nuclear weapons can't disrupt it; the blast would be more harmful than helpful. 

What does God say about tornadoes?

The Bible describes "whirlwinds," like tornadoes, as powerful expressions of God's might, judgment, or a sign of divine upheaval, often linked to His presence (Nahum 1:3) or end-times prophecy (Matthew 24:8, Revelation), but it also warns against pinpointing specific disasters as God's direct punishment, emphasizing that creation groans under sin and that God offers refuge in Christ amidst chaos, promising ultimate restoration. 

What is the #1 deadliest tornado in US history?

The Tri-State Tornado

On March 18, 1925, the deadliest single tornado in the history of the United States occurred. The enormous storm affected people in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, hence the name. As a result, almost 700 people were killed and over 2,000 were injured.

Will an EF5 ever happen again?

A 2025 case study, produced by Anthony Lyza with the National Severe Storms Laboratory and other researchers with the University of Oklahoma's School of Meteorology, published with the American Meteorological Society, found that the probability of no EF5-rated tornadoes happening within an eleven year span would be ...

What are the warning signs of a tornado?

Tornado warning signs include a dark, greenish sky, a loud "freight train" roar, a strange calm amidst a storm, large hail, fast-moving clouds, and a visible wall cloud or funnel, often with a debris cloud at ground level, signaling immediate danger requiring you to seek shelter right away.
 

Will 2025 be a big tornado year?

2025 also featured the most violent tornadoes in a year since 2013, with eight tornadoes worldwide receiving a rating of (E)F4 or higher. Six of these tornadoes occurred in the United States, and two in Brazil, one of which was the widest tornado of 2025 affecting Rio Bonito do Iguaçu and injuring 800 people.

Why wasn't El Reno an EF5?

The 2013 El Reno tornado wasn't rated an EF5 because, despite its record-breaking width (2.6 miles) and measured winds over 290 mph, it primarily tracked over rural areas, lacking the catastrophic structural damage (like "ground scouring" or completely leveling well-built homes) needed for the highest rating, which focuses on observed damage, not just wind speed. The powerful winds occurred in small, fast-moving sub-vortices that missed significant structures, leading to its final EF3 rating, even though its sheer power was immense.
 

What's the safest place during a tornado?

If you're at home, go to your basement or an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If you don't have a basement, go to an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom, or closet.

What kills you first in a tornado?

Remember it is flying debris from tornadoes that causes the most injuries and fatalities.

Can a cow be picked up by a tornado?

Yes, a strong tornado absolutely can pick up a cow, as tornadoes have enough violent, whirling wind to lift heavy objects like cars, homes, and livestock, with documented cases of cows being lifted, spun, and sometimes even set down miles away, though usually with significant injury or death due to the sheer force and debris.
 

How to 100% survive a tornado?

In the event of a tornado, here are some tornado safety rules to keep you and your family safe: In general, get as low as you can. A basement below ground level or the lowest floor of a building offers the greatest safety. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible.

Has a tornado ever hit a cruise ship?

The cruise along the Yangtze River in China held over 450 passengers – most of which were retirees and senior citizens. After a serious storm that may have included a tornado, the boat capsized. Only 14 passengers survived.

Can you see the eye of a tornado?

There is no “eye” to a tornado like there is in a hurricane.

Has anyone survived flying in a tornado?

The farthest distance survived in a tornado is 398 m (1,307 ft) achieved by Matt Suter (USA) in Missouri, USA on, 12 March 2006.

How many people died in 2011 Twister?

ON MAY 22 2011 A LARGE TORNADO RATED AN EF-5... THE STRONGEST ON THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE... TRACKED DIRECTLY THROUGH JOPLIN MISSOURI CAUSING DEVASTATION AND A TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE. IN TOTAL THERE WERE 158 PEOPLE KILLED MAKING THE TORNADO THE DEADLIEST IN THE U.S. IN OVER 60 YEARS AND THE 7TH DEADLIEST ON RECORD.

What was the worst flood in 2025?

On July 4, 2025, destructive and deadly flooding took place in the Hill Country region of the U.S. state of Texas. During the flooding, water levels along the Guadalupe River rose rapidly. As a result, at least 135 people were killed, at least 117 of them in Kerr County.

What states get tornadoes?

The area common to most definitions extends from Texas, through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, North Dakota, Montana, Ohio, and eastern portions of Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.