It is impossible to know exactly how fast the winds were as we did not have the tools to measure a tornado's winds back then.
But since the tornado was rated F5 (equivalent to EF5 on the new scale) winds were probably well over 200 mph.
Doppler radar tracks the movement of the storm and can determine how fast it's going and, to a very limited degree, how fast its winds are. However, in nearly all cases the wind speeds reported in a tornado are estimated based on the severity of the damage that has been done.
The winds in a tornado can vary greatly and be any where between 65 and 300+ MPH. The majority of tornadoes have winds of 110 mph or less while the most damaging have estimated winds over 135 mph.
When surface winds slow down in a tornado due to ground friction, the tornado may weaken or dissipate altogether. This is because a tornado's strength is dependent on the fast rotation of air at the surface, so when this rotation slows down, the tornado's intensity is reduced.
Winds in a EF5 tornado, the highest category on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, can exceed 200 mph (322 km/h) and cause catastrophic damage. These powerful winds can destroy well-built houses, uproot trees, and turn cars into projectiles.
The speed of the winds in a tornado is called the tornado's wind speed. It is usually measured using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which categorizes tornadoes based on the estimated wind speed. The wind speed can vary greatly depending on the tornado's intensity, with stronger tornadoes having faster wind speeds.
Winds in a tornado can get up to 300 mph.
A tornado IS wind- very fast winds spinning in a circle.
Most damage in a tornado is caused by the extremely fast winds.
The Enhanced Fujita scale puts the beginning of tornado winds at 65 mph. Doppler radar has detected winds in a tornado of just over 300 mph.
How fast a tornado is moving refers to how fast the tornado itself travels from point A to point B. For example, a tornado moving towards at 30 mph and is a mile away will reach you in 2 minutes. The rotational winds of a tornado refers to how fast the tornado itself is spinning, which is generally faster than its forward speed.
It varies widely. The weakest have winds of about 65 mph, while the strongest have winds over 300 mph.
Winds in a tornado spiral inward and upward.
Doppler radar tracks the movement of the storm and can determine how fast it's going and, to a very limited degree, how fast its winds are. However, in nearly all cases the wind speeds reported in a tornado are estimated based on the severity of the damage that has been done.
The winds in a tornado can vary greatly and be any where between 65 and 300+ MPH. The majority of tornadoes have winds of 110 mph or less while the most damaging have estimated winds over 135 mph.
When surface winds slow down in a tornado due to ground friction, the tornado may weaken or dissipate altogether. This is because a tornado's strength is dependent on the fast rotation of air at the surface, so when this rotation slows down, the tornado's intensity is reduced.
The winds in a tornado are very fast carry a tremendous amount of force that can damage or destroy buildings and other objects. Objects picked up by those winds can become high speed projectiles.
The fastest moving tornado recorded traveled with a forwards speed of 73 mph. The fastest winds recorded in a tornado were 302 mph