May 20, 1916-1918
In what is a remarkable, if not strange, twist of fate, a tornado tears up the small town of Codell, Kansas on the same day, three years in a row.
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as twisters or cyclones, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology, in a wider sense, to name any closed low pressure circulation. Tornadoes come in many shapes and sizes, but they are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris and dust. Most tornadoes have wind speeds less than 110 miles per hour (180 km/h), are about 250 feet (80 m) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometers) before dissipating.
The most extreme tornadoes can attain wind speeds of more than 300 miles per hour (480 km/h), stretch more than two miles (3 km) across, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km). Tornado speeds are measured by the Fujita Scale, where an F-0 tornado is capable of reaching wind speeds of up to 78 miles an hour in a 3 second gust, and an F-5 tornado is capable of reaching wind speeds of up to 317 miles an hour in a 3 second gust.
These first two photos are of an F-0 tornado. Impressive, but little damage caused.
These next two images are of F-1 tornadoes. Also impressive, but costly.
Now we are getting a little more serious. These next two images are of two different F-2 tornadoes, date and location unknown.
It’s getting more serious now, these next two images are of reported F-3 tornadoes. Head for cover!
Now we move on toe the real killers! Here are two F-4 killer tornadoes. You DON’T want to be around them!!
And finally, the baddest of the bad tornadoes, the dreaded F-5. As in the movie. “Twist”, the ‘finger of God. You DON’T want to have one of these come for a visit!
Category F5 tornado (upgraded from initial estimate of F4) viewed from the southeast as it approached Elie, Manitoba on Friday, June 22nd, 2007.
F-5 Tornado, date and location unknown
