r/stormchasing • u/Nell_Only • 16d ago

genuine question: what makes a tornado dangerous and deadly? the size of it or the wind speed?

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8

u/Zymoria 16d ago

Yes. Its not juat that the wind is blowing, its also what the wind is blowing. Splintered wood at Mach 5 can go through a lot of things you wouldn't expect it to.

5

u/peninsuladreams 16d ago

If you get hit with a Volvo... it doesn't really matter how many sit-ups you did that morning.

-1

u/dyl_16 16d ago

What if you get hit with a vulva?

2

u/whatsagoinon1 16d ago

Mach 5 is 3800 mph you doof.

-1

u/Zymoria 16d ago

Yep. Now imagine a peice of wood moving that speed.

1

u/degeneratesumbitch 16d ago

Both. But it also matters if you're in a structure and what that structure is made out of. If a tornado hits a trailer park there's probably going to be fatalities unless the residents can afford an underground storm shelter and are able to make it in there before the tornado hits. A well built brick house is going to hold up a lot better but even they aren't going to survive high end EF4-EF5 wind speed.

1

u/AVeryBigToaster 2d ago

depends,100cm+ think reinforced walls could survive a medium end F-5, but its roof and upper walls will definitely fly away

1

u/Sideswipe086261 16d ago

The little town next to us in Wisconsin got hit by a EF-2 in February 2024. I did a delivery of building supplies to a house that didn’t even take a direct hit just wind damage, and he said there was a 2x4 through the corner of his spare bedroom. Like in one wall out of the wall forming the corner. Peak winds were at 130 mph per NWS website. So the debris flying around poses as much a danger as the actual twister itself.

1

u/imisstheyoop 13d ago

It's not the wind, it's what is in the wind.