EF5 Tornado levels Greensburg Kansas.

[6SpeedTA95]

Dr. Greg Forbes estimates last nights tornado as ether a high EF4 or an EF5

Some of the live shots I saw earlier looked like at some point it could have been an EF5. Grass ripped from the roots etc...Definately wasn't as large or as strong as May3rd 1999 tha tmoved through OKC but this was a significant storm. I called a friend of mine there today and ask if he was ok, he said he only knew of a half dozen houses with no damage and his was one of them.

[HurricaneBill]

In Hopewell, where one fatality occured, 2 houses were completely destroyed. One house was gone from its foundation and nothing remained.

[Cyclenall]

Of course the majority of Greensburg only suffered from EF4 damage or lower but I think a few parts got EF5 damage and that's why I believe it should be classified as one. Most of the time the EF5 damage will be very limited and the May 3, 1999 tornado was no exception.

From what I have seen on Fox news today and some of the other pics on the inet right now, it appears to me that this will be an high EF4

Most areas resiceved EF4 damage alright. That doesn't mean it will be rated a EF4 though since we rate tornadoes by the highest amount of damage caused.

Judging from the footage on The Weather Channel and CNN, it seems as if at least in some areas of Greensburg the walls of the houses and businesses were left intact, and the town is still littered with debris. I was under the impression that a signature of an (E)F5 tornado involved "sweeping the debris clean," i.e. no debris piles remaining, just structural foundations. In scenes from Bridge Creek and Moore, all the structures are completely gone and debris has been blown to the perimeter of the tornado path.

Some areas got it worst then others. Parts of that town almost had no damage but that was about 2-5% of the total number of buildings.

[TampaSteve]

I would not be surprised if it ended up EF5, for the simple fact that CNN briefly had a picture up of nothing but a concrete foundation where a house used to be. If that was a well constructed house, that'd be classic F5 damage. Time and the damage survey will tell.

Yup...if well-constructed buildings were removed to the slab, that's an F5.

[Stephanie]

It's amazing that only 9 people died in that thing. My prayers go out to those families. I would love to see pictures of the town before this tornado hit. There's nothing there to salvage - everything has to be taken down and started from scratch.

[wx247]

BREAKING... TORNADO IN GREENSBURG... EF5!!!

http://www.kake.com

[JonathanBelles]

Reread that headline...Greensburg Tornado Rated at EF-5...probabbly from 5-4-07.

[wx247]

Reread that headline...Greensburg Tornado Rated at EF-5...probabbly from 5-4-07.

Huh? I am confused.

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

[JonathanBelles]

That is probably the tornado from Friday. It's not a new tornado. Maybe I read you wrong.

[wx247]

Yes, I am referring to the one from Friday. It has been given EF5 status from the NWS survey team.

[Bunkertor]

Is there a video available of that monsterwedge ?

[TampaSteve]

BREAKING... TORNADO IN GREENSBURG... EF5!!!

http://www.kake.com

Yeah...looking at the damage photos, especially the last one, leaves little doubt in my mind that it was an F5, at least for part of the track...that last photo shows textbook F5 damage.

[HurricaneBill]

Is there a video available of that monsterwedge ?

There's a picture of it caught during a lightning strike.

[6SpeedTA95]

Is there a video available of that monsterwedge ?

There's a picture of it caught during a lightning strike.

That is just scary.

[Bunkertor]

Looking at this, i´d say, we must be thankful, not having to count more bodies.

[CrazyC83]

Looking at this, i´d say, we must be thankful, not having to count more bodies.

We should all send a big message to the local officials, we could be dealing with 100 or more deaths otherwise.

I know we were all watching the KSN coverage the last two days - they must be exhausted now! But they saved many lives!

Also the sirens ringing for 20 minutes was critical.

[6SpeedTA95]

Looking at this, i´d say, we must be thankful, not having to count more bodies.

We should all send a big message to the local officials, we could be dealing with 100 or more deaths otherwise.

I know we were all watching the KSN coverage the last two days - they must be exhausted now! But they saved many lives!

Also the sirens ringing for 20 minutes was critical.

Thats exactly right, a friend of mine lives in greensburg I called him yesterday, he said they blew the sirens for nearly 25 mins, he said that saved countless lives

[weunice]

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

Found this within the past hour looking through blog searches .... you can see it during lightning strikes

[Cyclenall]

I was very sure it was going to be rated as the first EF5 tornado ever. It's been 8 years since the last one...I wonder if we can officaly say that since it was using the old scale. Not surprised at all.

The national weather service said the width of the funnel was 1.7 miles at it's widest point!! I think this was a unbelievible event and I'm glad I was watching it unfold with a delay of only 5 hours .

[Bunkertor]

This definately is the most frightening i have seen since the OKC-event.