How many EF5 tornadoes in Nebraska?

Answer 1

Based on available accounts from the Storm Prediction Center and experts on historical tornadoes there have been 5 to 7 F5 tornadoes in Nebraska. Definite F5 tornadoes occurred on:

• April 23, 1908
• June 5, 1908
• May 22, 1933
• April 26, 1938
• May 5, 1964

One tornado worth noting is one which occurred on May 17, 1896. This tornado crossed state lines, and although it entered Nebraska, the only known F5 damage was in Kansas.

Another tornado on May 30, 1961 is listed as an F5 by a historical expert, but is registered as an F4 in official records.

Note that EF ratings only apply to tornadoes in the U.S. that have occurred since February 1, 2007. So far since that time no tornado in Nebraska has been rated higher than EF4.

Answer 2

Since the Enhanced Fujita Scale was introduced in the U.S. in February of 2007, it has been used to rate 8,148 tornadoes. Of those, 9 have been rated EF5. This gives an answer of slightly more than 0.1%. The number, though, is a bit misleading as we only have a few sample years to work with, and data is skewed upward by the abnormally violent 2011 tornado season which saw 6 EF5 tornadoes.

Answer 3

Depends on what you mean. Path width and path length vary greatly. F5 and EF5 tornadoes have been recorded at widths ranging from 60 yards wide to over 2 miles wide. Most often they will be between a quarter mile and a mile wide. Path lengths are often more than 20 miles long and may exceed 100 miles.