# The worst tornado in the history of the planet

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-tornado-in-the-history-of-the-planet/658928>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 21, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-tornado-in-the-history-of-the-planet/658928 "2013-05-21T14:16:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-tornado-in-the-history-of-the-planet/658928/21 "2013-06-01T12:49:31Z")

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> [@Telemark](#):
>
> No, highest measured wind speed is a real thing, and breaking the record was a big deal. They’ve been keeping records for well over 100 years and have measured a lot of big storms (hurricanes, cyclones, and tornadoes) and if a storm has the record is means something. Yes, there most likely have been higher winds somewhere, sometime, but the storm that produced the current record was a monster.

I’m not saying it’s not a real thing. But the way the writer phrased it in the link I provided, it seemed unclear, misleading and a bit sensationalistic.

He mentioned the speed of the winds and then concluded it by saying they were “the highest ever on the earth’s surface.” That’s what lead me to start the thread

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-tornado-in-the-history-of-the-planet/658928/22 "2013-06-01T15:06:11Z")

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One disturbing tornado trend is the corridors. Looking at the history map theres very obvious alignment of the red dots.

We have the I-30 corridor that cuts diagonally across Ark. Searcy, Little Rock, Benton, Arkdelphia, Texarkana. Six F-4 tornadoes along that corridor. We’ve had dozens more weaker tornadoes following I-30. Our weatherman comment about this corridor every Spring during the tornado season.

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**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-tornado-in-the-history-of-the-planet/658928/23 "2013-06-04T22:39:02Z")

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The El Reno tornado Friday did break one record. It’s the widest tornado ever recorded at an astounding 2.6 miles wide. Mobile Doppler also recorded a wind speed of 296 mph, which is just 5 mph shy of the record. (The OP’s link says 318 but the team that recorded it say 301. Either way, this is all unofficial because Doppler readings at elevation are not considered for records)

These wind speeds were the result of multiple vortices with 100+ mph wind being flung around by the main vortex that had 180+ wind for a combined 280+ wind speed at times.

This was a crazy tornado which will be studied for a long time.

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