What are some real life examples of tornadoes?
There is no shortage of examples, with more than 58,000 tornadoes confirmed in the U.S. since 1950. Here are a few from recent years that cover the range of tornado severity.On February 28, 2012 a weak tornado touched down west of Greeley, Nebraska. It traveled for about a quarter of a mile through a field and overturned and irrigation pivot. The tornado was rated EF0, the lowest rating on the Enhanced Fuita Scale and had estimated winds of 75 mph. The cost of damage was $50,000.On July 24, 2010 a tornado touched down south of Westfield, New York and move through Mayville, badly damaging several homes before crossing part of Lake Cuatauqua as a waterspout. It came ashore at Dewittville, damaging several small boats and a golf course where a number of golf carts were destroyed. One condo lost most of its roof. The tornado was rated EF2 with estimated winds of 125 mph. Damage was estimated at $5 million.On January 30, 2013 a tornado touched town southwest of Adairsville, Georgia and moved through that town, destroying 31 sturectures and damaging dozens of others. One person died in a mobile home and several others were injured. The tornado continued into the next county, where it destroyed about 30 homes and damaged over 200. The tornado was rated a high-end EF3 with estimated winds of 165 mph. The cost of damage was estimated at $75 million.Before sunrise on February 29, 2012, a tornado tore though the town of Harrisburg, Illinois, Several homes and a strip mall were destroyed. It then move on to the town if Ridgeway, where more houses were damaged and a church was destroyed. The tornado killed 8 people and injured 108. The tornado was rated EF4 with esitmated winds of 180 mph. Damage wast estimated at $3 million.On May 22, 2011 a tornado touched down just west of Joplin, Missouri and tore a devastating path through the south side of the city. Nearly 7,000 homes and businesses were destroyed. Several schools and a major hospital were badly damaged A number of homes were completely swept away. Asphalt was scoured from parking lots. In all, the tornado killed 158 people, marking it as one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, and the deadliest since 1947. This tornado was rated EF5, the highest rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with estimated winds over 200 mph. The cost of damage was estimated at $2.8 billion, making it the costliest tornado in U.S. history.
