EF5 tornado ratings are rare for two reasons: The first is that tornadoes of that intensity are uncommon events. Most tornadoes have wind speeds well under the 201 mph threshold for EF5, Lyza said.

It may be hard to believe that with an average of 1,200 tornadoes each year in the United States, we haven’t seen an EF5-rated twister in more than 11 years. But that doesn’t mean the number ...

Moore, Oklahoma, tornado May 20, 2013. The most recent EF5 tornado in U.S. occurred on May 20, 2013, when a devastating twister barreled through Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 and injuring hundreds more.

EF5 tornadoes have wind speeds of 201 miles per hour or higher, making them incredibly destructive. However, only 0.05% of tornadoes are EF5, making them incredibly rare.

An EF5 tornado is one of the most catastrophic weather events on Earth. Monsterous twisters of this magnitude can destroy entire neighborhoods in the blink of an eye, grow to be more than a mile ...

Eleven years after a tornado devastated Moore, Okla., it remains the most recent tornado to be rated EF5, the strongest possible rating. The 11-year gap is the longest since official U.S. records ...

Notably, since 2013, the U.S. has not recorded any EF5-rated tornadoes, marking the longest period without such events since official records began in 1950, totaling over 4,300 days.

It may be hard to believe that with an average of 1,200 tornadoes each year in the United States, we haven’t seen an EF5-rated twister in more than 11 years. But that doesn’t mean the number ...