El Reno Tornado Upgraded to EF5, Widest Ever Measured
The National Weather Service (NWS) has upgraded the El Reno tornado of May 31, 2013 to an EF5 mega tornado with maximum wind speeds of 475km/h (295 mph).
The mega tornado measured 2.6 miles wide at its widest, making it the widest tornado ever recorded in the U.S.
“This is still preliminary and stats may be tweaked as more information becomes available.” NWS said
The mega twister touched down southwest of El Reno at 6:03 pm CDT on Friday, making a 40-minute detour around the city, effectively missing El Reno.
El Reno Mega Tornado Path. The Mega Twister touched down southwest of El Reno at 6:03 pm CDT on Friday, making a 40-minute detour around the city, effectively missing El Reno. Source: NWS
The previous record for the widest tornado was set on May 22, 2004, when an EF4 tornado measuring 2.5 miles at its widest raked through Hallam, Nebraska.
The Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale – Quick Chart
EF0: 65 TO 85 MPH
EF1: 86 TO 110 MPH
EF2: 111 TO 135 MPH
EF3: 136 TO 165 MPH
EF4: 166 TO 200 MPH
EF5: Wind speeds greater than 200 MPH
Fire Earth 