2011: The Year of The EF5

EF5s. Rising to the top of the Enhanced Fujita Scale, EF5s are the most powerful classification a tornado can possibly get and their destructive power is incredible. With estimated winds in excess of 200mph, EF5s are the most violent wind storms on planet Earth, and are capable of leveling everything in their path, tossing cars hundreds of yards, and carving deep scars into the ground. They are the kings of our skies and one of the most destructive forces on our planet.

Since the implementation of the Enhanced Fujita Scale in 2007 there have been a total of 9 Tornadoes that have officially reached this terrifying metric. Remarkably 6 of them are from one year alone..
This is the story of one of the most violent years for tornadoes in modern history. 2011: The Year of The EF5.

This video discusses the 6 EF5s that occurred during 2011 tornado season in chronological order including:
Philadelphia MS EF5
Phil Campbell-Hackleburg AL EF5
Smithville MS EF5
Rainsville AL EF5
Joplin MO EF5
El Reno-Piedmont OK EF5

EF Scale explanation:
EF0 Light Damage (65-85mph)
EF1 Moderate Damage (86-110mph)
EF2 Considerable Damage (111-135mph)
EF3 Severe Damage (136-165mph)
EF4 Devastating Damage (166-200mph)
EF5 Incredible Damage (201mph+)

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[maxwellbarbe]

I survived the Forgotten Outbreak in April 2011. It was just two weeks before the April 27 outbreak. An EF3 tornado came sweeping through our neighborhood and obliterated everything. My sibling and I were playing outside in the rain and we had no idea it was coming if our parents didn't call my grandma who was watching us. While they were on the phone the line went dead as the tornado ripped through whatever it was destroying at the time. I don't remember the noise at first, but I remember the panic and the insanity of my aunt shielding us while we hid in the bath tub. I remember walking out of our house and the sky was blue and birds were singing, but everything was gone. Our neighbor across the street had no roof, there was a HUGE tree trunk that was uprooted on its side, and everything up the street was just... gone. I was 7 years old. It left me absolutely traumatized and horrified of tornadoes, even more than 12 years later at 20 years old. Now I'm in school with the goal of a masters degree in meteorology. I turned my fear into a passion and a want to help others to never experience the fear and trauma that I have.

[dieterdelange]

Although all of these were large, multi-vortex tornadoes, it's scary to think that an EF5 storm isn't necessarily huge: witness Jarrell of 1997, which started out with a funnel as thin as spaghetti (though it did eventually grow huge), and 2007's Manitoba tornado, which swept strong homes off of their foundations whilst roping out. 😮

[SuzukiRacer]

2:05 The force it would take to dig a 2 foot deep trench and rip the asphalt off the ground is mind boggling. That is a whole different level of destruction compared to almost every other tornado. Great work Celton!!!

[leonardsusskindswar]

I remember these storms, and couldn't believe they just kept coming one after the other. What shocked me even more was a lot of the time, it was storm chasers with mobile radar that would be letting authorities know that they needed to get the tornado sirens going. By then, the tornados were either down or on their way.
So many of these chasers are scientists, out there to try and predict these storms earlier, and with better accuracy. They put their lives in danger to save others. So it's important to recognize and remember people like Tim Samaras, who, along with his son and photographer, lost his life while trying to collect data during the El Reno tornado.
Mike Bettes' van was picked up, thrown, and nearly crushed.
Most of these guys are also EMS trained, so they can help the injured once the storms have passed. It's not just about filming. It's about predicting storms to save lives, filming the storms to see how they move and develop, and then offering aid to those hurt. My hats are off to all of them.

[timmy]

2011 was an overall awful year weather wise: the massive quake and tsunami in Japan, a rare quake in the East, Hurricane Irene in the same region and these tornadoes. Just crazy!

[eucliduschaumeau]

The bank vault in Joplin was still completely intact, because during a Nevada nuclear test in the 1950s, the same thing happened when they detonated a 15 kiloton nuclear bomb next to a town that was entirely built for the test. After this, all bank vaults were built to the same specification, so they would survive a full-on nuclear attack...and an EF-5 tornado it seems.

[SleepyTom]

Some honorable mentions: it’s largely accepted New Wren was likely an EF5 as they missed entire sections of the track when surveying and Tuscaloosa did have EF5 rated damage but was rated an EF4.

[leofrancoeur]

To me, every EF5's in 2011 were amongst the strongest tornadoes ever recorded. They all produced their own instance of extreme damage. I can't imagine how strong a tornado can be if it's literally able to scour pavement from roads and dig a foot trench into the ground!
This is my personal list of the strongest EF5's of 2011:

1. Smithville, Mississippi
2. Philadelphia, Mississippi
3. Hackleburg/Phil Campbell, Alabama
4. El Reno, Oklahoma
5. Rainsville, Alabama
6. Joplin, Missouri

[anthonywhavers]

2011 was just built different. Hope we don't see anything like that again but as a weather nerd...the thought of it peaks my interest every time. Another great video!! Keep it up.

[ohmisskaimi]

This video was really well done!

The 1997 Jarrell, Texas tornado still makes me sick to my stomach. The way it moved at a forward speed of 5 mph with peak wind speeds of 300 mph, so it basically sat still on top of the subdivision it destroyed. People talk about other tornadoes moving things, but this one TOOK everything. It didn't leave a single appliance behind. No refrigerators. No tubs. No cars. The death toll was based on missing persons after the storm because there were no identifiable bodies recovered- only scattered body parts like legs or wrists. Livestock were completely stripped of their fur and also found mangled. The meteorological events leading up to the storm are interesting too. Definitely recommend looking into it if you're a weather nerd. Prayers to all victims affected by these awful storms.

[zjdubya]

The May 24 El Reno tornado is truly a forgotten EF5. Its arguably top five all time when it comes to violence and thanks to the Joplin death toll and April 27th event it rarely gets mentioned. It also pales in comparison to the 2013 El Reno tornado when comes to notoriety.

[tishamilligan]

My 10 yr old son and I watched the Rainsville, Al. E5 tornado form above my car as we traveled down Clemens Rd in Lakeview Shores (which is an Island directly in front of Sand Mountain where Rainsville is located). We literally seen roofs riding in the circulation. As my son ran into my dads house to take shelter an empty gallon jug fell out of the sky hitting him in the head. Pieces of sheet rock, sticks, shingles, greenery were falling from the sky all around us. Our local Meteorologist calls it "Sand Mountain Magic" because the tornadic activity becomes so unpredictable moving from the valley to the top of the mountain. 8/10 a tornado touches down somewhere on the Mountain, but they normally form from weakening storm cells and squall lines once everyone's let their guard down. If rotaing super cells are in the forecast, we're moving into the shelter before it can even crossover from Mississippi lol. April 27th 2011 humbled us in a way I pray we never see again in our lifetime. Many lives were lost in our Community that day and unfortunately hundreds of communities in our great State were hit even harder having to carry the burden of much greater numbers. You did an excellent job covering these tornadoes and the tragedy they bring with them.Though it can be an extremely sad subject, this was done professionally and was very informative. That's what's most important.

[lawv]

The Hackelberg tornado matches written accounts of the Tri-State tornado better than any tornado in modern history. From its appearance, to its fast forward speed, to its insanely long path of extreme damage.

[paulrbrown]

I live in Missouri and I volunteered to help clean up Joplin after that tornado and some of the things I saw I’ll never forget. Large homes on their side, inside another large home. Semi trucks inside of large homes, what used to be a Walgreens, just nothing. It was so scary.

[zehuskyguy]

There's one thing about the Joplin Missouri EF5 which terrifies me. The tornado had so much power, it actually moved the hospital off it's foundation.

Edit: Thank you so much for 171 likes

[Winterfur]

The reason why the Joplin hospital had to be demolished because it moved 4 inches from its foundation. The entire building was moved 4 inches from the tornado.

[thegrandpencil]

I lived near the Hackleburg one. Didn't have a clue it was happening. I loaded up my six year old and went to the mall. When I got there, it was completely empty, which seemed odd. Then, when I left and went across the street to Walmart, the wind started in and the managers were holding the doors open, waiving us in hysterically. I grabbed my daughter in the air and booked it. We got in, ran to the center of the store and waited it out. It was only after I got back home that I realized what had happened that day. Needless to say, we were lucky.

[CrazyWeatherDude]

I was in western Jefferson County, Alabama visiting my aunt and uncle. I was 11. The entire state felt so dangerous, every cloud seemed to explode into a massive tornado producing storm. The tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa went about a quarter mile south of us. The Rear Flank Downdraft was so violent and extreme that it felt like the tornado was moving over us. I could hear the deafening roar of the tornado miles away before it made its closest point to us, and after a few minutes I saw debris falling from the sky. I still have nightmares every once in a while, but it used to be much worse. I’ll never forget that day ever in my life. April 27, 2011.
For some reason the background music on 12:37 gives me a feeling of calmness. Like I saw hell on earth, but it being in the past is just serene. Knowing I was directly in the middle of the largest tornado outbreak in history, and lived to tell the tale is a strong feeling.

[DoctorProwl]

You discuss tornadoes in a much more enjoyable, accessible and in-depth way than most news outlets and documentaries. I also like how you combine aspects of horror and meteorology through narration and dark ambient music.

[jamiethomas]

2011 was the absolute worst and largest tornado🌪️outbreak in U.S history. Even worse than April 3rd through 4th 1974.