How strong was this tornado? You make the call!

[Scott Currens]

In a few days I'll post information(NWS rating, and links) about this tornado and damage site.

[Broken External Image]:http://community.webshots.com/s/image5/0/7/1/114300701xMJQTe_ph.jpg

[Broken External Image]:http://community.webshots.com/s/image8/0/13/64/114301364rLEPht_ph.jpg

[Broken External Image]:http://community.webshots.com/s/image9/0/15/34/114301534hCEZRt_ph.jpg

[Broken External Image]:http://community.webshots.com/s/image8/0/19/40/114301940zPRYgS_ph.jpg

[Broken External Image]:http://community.webshots.com/s/image5/0/22/58/114302258GBTFac_ph.jpg

Please give your reasoning for the rating you selected.

Scott Currens

 

[Dan Cook]

pics don't work

 

[mikegeukes]

Works.

 

[Dan Cook]

They only worked for me after I loaded the url directly.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Yeah I'm getting the error symbol (red X)...

Jeff

 

[Shane Adams]

Originally posted by Dan Cook
They only worked for me after I loaded the url directly.

What URL - I only see red xes

 

[Dan Cook]

right clicked on the x to get the url.

 

[David Sallee]

Well CRAP!! I put the pics on my website to retrieve from there and it worked once than boom, my server went down :shock: FIRST time in three years....... :x


So, I deleted my post.. :wink:

 

[Jeff Snyder]

You can't just click on the red Xs... You need to right-click, choose Properties, copy right address, then paste into another browser window. Any way you can just repost the images, Scott... or just provide links? Thanks!

 

[Jason_Politte]

Right clicked and chose properties to view the images...

Now, without knowing what type of structure this was or photos showing a better overall view, it's hard to apply the subjective F-scale. However, I'll give it a shot. I find it quite interesting that the entire structure has been wiped away, yet a car still remains in the driveway and appears relatively unharmed. Also, fairly light objects on and around the property obviously weren't moved much, if at all, and the trees and fences are still standing. Considering the cinder block type foundation, I'll say that the structure was probably not considered to be well-constructed, and based on that alone, I would say F1 - F2 and vote F2.

Jason

 

[Dan Cook]

Originally posted by Jeff Snyder
You can't just click on the red Xs... You need to right-click, choose Properties, copy right address, then paste into another browser window. Any way you can just repost the images, Scott... or just provide links? Thanks!

That's what I meant.

 

[Gene Rhoden]

I think Jason Politte is close on the mark regarding the rating at this spot.

I would go F1 or maybe a low-end F2 as the structure was enevitably a pre-fab set on a CMU foundation with no anchoring whatsoever. A wind of 100mph could've done this. I'm not impressed with the hollow masonry block nor the shrubbery that is in great condition, car that wasn't budged....even most of the fencing is still up ....it served to catch a lot of the insulation. Looks like there's been a clean-up here already as well. Looks like it may have been microburst damage as well perhaps but one needs a broader picture to determine that.

..Gene..

 

[Shane Adams]

This was a very tricky analysis for two reasons. First off, it's always much tougher to tell the real impact of damage from still photos versus being at the actual scene. Secondly, though all five pics are of the same property, there's no one picture that clearly shows the entire span of the property; it's impossible to get a feel for the overall damage to the entire property in a single photo.

I chose a rating of F1, based on several facts:

The vehicle in the photo is covered by tarp on the backside; this is certainly protecting a busted windshield, and the car looks as if it was parked throughout the even and was otherwise undamaged.

Though cinder blocks are scattered about, giving the impression of total devastation of the building, it's obvious the tornado wasn't strong because wooden flower pots remain undisturbed at the front of the foundation, while all the metal/wire fencing in the background remains upright; no bnding or curvature is noted.

The tree damage is minimal at best. The sapling attached by wires wasn't even affected.

The propane tank looks as if it was rolled off its foundaion and moved maybe a few feet; this is consistent wih low-end tornadic winds; a minimum of around 120mph is required to move large objects such as vehicles (I know, I've been there and that car looks as if it wasn't moved at all.


I could be totally wrong, but I'm not impressed with the cinder block damage at all; I do masonry for a living and it doesn't take much to knock down a brick/block wall. Mostly likely airborne debris took it out. It looks like the foundation of a house, but the damage doesn't make sense that way; the surrounding elements (car/small yard objects/fences/trees) are too minimally damaged for this to have been a strong tornado capable of leveling a home.

 

[Jeff Wear]

When I first saw this picture I thought either that was the shortest skinniest F4 in history or that house was made out of straw!!!

Otherwise I can't disagree with what's already been said. Looks to me the worst of it may have hit behind the structure though by the looks of the fencing and the larger trees in the background. I can't imagine those small trees in the front yard were hit by any wind over 40 mph. But based on the tree damage in the background (very first picture) my guess is F1.



Jeff

 

[mikedeason]

I voted F1 with a few observations.

Homes built on masonry foundations are notorious for having more failure points than just about any other type of foundation just because of the number of fastening points required to properly anchor a frame to the masonry wall foundation. In this case it's very apparent that no poured concrete and/or steel reinforcement was used as the first tier of blocks have been displaced, a classic sign of failure in masonry wall foundations.

If the slab that the car is sitting on was a garage, it may have been the case that this may have been the initial failure point for the house. I see no reasonable attempt at anchoring the garage to the concrete slab although I'm sure it would have been fastened to the home.

Keep in mind that most codes in "Tornado Alley" which cover the construction of one and two story wood frame housing are based on load factors which are produced by 90mph wind gusts for a duration of 3 seconds. As many of us know, this kind of load force can be produced by a strong RFD or downburst winds. I'm not sure which direction the garage door would have been facing in this example, but it may be reasonable to assume that it would have encountered such forces at some point during the event and could have initiated the entire failure of the house.

The points that others have already expressed are shared by myself as well.

Regards,

Mike