Tornado Central

Alabama Tornado the First EF4 in U.S. Since 2017; Deadliest Since Moore, Oklahoma, EF5 Tornado in 2013

At a Glance

An EF4 tornado touched down in Lee County, Alabama, Sunday afternoon.
The last EF4 tornado in the U.S. struck Canton, Texas, in April 2017 – nearly two years ago.
The Lee County tornado was also the deadliest since the Moore, Oklahoma, EF5 tornado that killed 24 in May 2013.

The deadly tornado that struck Lee County, Alabama, Sunday afternoon was rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, the National Weather Service confirmed Monday. It was the first EF4 or stronger tornado in the United States in nearly two years; the last EF4 touched down in Canton, Texas, April 29, 2017.

The NWS-Birmingham meteorologists conducting the storm survey found single-family homes destroyed in southwestern Lee County by winds estimated at 170 mph. It was on the ground for at least 24 miles and was, at one point, 0.87 miles wide.

This destructive tornado killed at least 23 people and injured two others, making it the deadliest twister since the Moore, Oklahoma, EF5 tornado that killed 24 on May 20, 2013. That was the last time an EF5 touched down in the U.S.

(MORE: Deadliest Tornado Day in Years: How It Happened)

Tornadoes are rated on the Enhanced Fujita Scale from EF0 to EF5 based on the damage they cause. EF2 to EF3 tornadoes are considered strong while rare EF4 to EF5 twisters are classified as violent.

Tornadoes rated EF2 to EF3 are not very common, making up about 9.5 percent of all twisters for the years 2000-2010. Less than 1 percent of all tornadoes were assigned an EF4 or EF5 rating for that same period of time.

EF4 tornadoes have estimated wind speeds of 166 to 200 mph and cause devastating damage, including leveling well-constructed and whole-frame houses completely and throwing cars.

EF5 tornadoes have estimated wind speeds greater than 200 mph and are capable of leveling strong-frame houses and sweeping away their foundations and leaving high-rise buildings with severe structural deformation.

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