In a new effort to answer this question, researchers at the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory have published a study in the August issue of Monthly Weather Review comparing tornado intensity estimates determined by damage and by weather radar. Their conclusion is that radar-based estimates of near-ground wind speeds in tornadoes are frequently higher than estimates derived from damage using the EF scale.
The researchers also found that the difference between radar-based and EF-scale-based wind speed estimates grows larger as tornado intensity increases. This means the current EF scale could be underestimating tornadic winds, and the difference could be greatest in the strongest tornadoes, said lead author and NSSL research scientist Anthony Lyza.
Their analysis compared low-altitude observations from stationary WSR-88D “NEXRAD” radars and damage for 105 different tornadoes that occurred in a variety of locations and land characteristics between 2011 and 2023. These tornadoes also varied in intensity from EF0 to EF4. Typically, the “damage layer” for tornadoes is up to 30 feet high.
Tornado Winds Being Underestimated?
