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List of F4, EF4, and IF4 tornadoes (2020–present)

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List of F4, EF4, and IF4 tornadoes (2020–present)
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This is a list of tornadoes which have been officially or unofficially labeled as F4, EF4, IF4, or an equivalent rating during the 2020s decade. These scales – the Fujita scale, the Enhanced Fujita scale, the International Fujita scale, and the TORRO tornado intensity scale – attempt to estimate the intensity of a tornado by classifying the damage caused to natural features and man-made structures in the tornado's path.

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A high end EF4 tornado seen in Diaz, Arkansas during the extremely destructive tornado outbreak of March 13-16, 2025.
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Hayti, Missouri got struck by an EF4 tornado in December 10, 2021, it was one of many towns that got hit by this long tracked tornado, it was the 2nd strongest tornado of the tornado outbreak of December 10-11, 2021.
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A chart showing various EF4 tornadoes during the 2020s and percentages of towns they damaged or destroyed

Tornadoes are among the most violent known meteorological phenomena. Each year, more than 2,000 tornadoes are recorded worldwide, with the vast majority occurring in North America and Europe.[1][2] To assess the intensity of these events, meteorologist Ted Fujita devised a method to estimate maximum wind speeds within tornadic storms based on the damage caused; this became known as the Fujita scale. The scale ranks tornadoes from F0 to F5, with F0 being the least intense and F5 being the most intense. F4 tornadoes were estimated to have had maximum winds between 207 mph (333 km/h) and 260 mph (420 km/h) and are considered violent tornadoes, along with F5 tornadoes.[3][nb 1]

Following two particularly devastating tornadoes in 1997 and 1999, engineers questioned the reliability of the Fujita scale. Ultimately, a new scale was devised that took into account 28 different damage indicators; this became known as the Enhanced Fujita scale.[4] With building design and structural integrity taken more into account, winds in an EF4 tornado were estimated to between 166 mph (267 km/h) and 200 mph (320 km/h).[5] The Enhanced Fujita scale is used predominantly in North America. Most of Europe, on the other hand, uses the TORRO tornado intensity scale (or T-Scale), which ranks tornado intensity between T0 and T11; F4/EF4 tornadoes are approximately equivalent to T8 to T9 on the T-Scale. Tornadoes rated IF4 on the International Fujita scale are also included on this list. Violent tornadoes, those rated F4/EF4 and F5/EF5 are rare and only make up 2% of all recorded tornadoes.[6]

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List of all EF4/IF4/F4 damage across the 2020 decade (Note: Didsbury is missing here):


Worldwide during the 2020s, 21 tornadoes have been rated F4/EF4/IF4. Nineteen of these tornadoes occurred in the United States, receiving EF4 ratings, one occurred in Canada, and one F4/IF4 occurred in the Czech Republic.[note 1] These tornadoes have caused 136 fatalities and over 1,183 injuries. The most recent EF4 tornado affected areas between Kentwood, Louisiana and Carson, Mississippi on March 15, 2025.

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Notes

  1. This tornado was rated F4 by CHMI in 2021, but a later joint ESSL/CHMI/SHMU report released in 2022 rating it an IF4
  2. This section is not a full summary of the tornado, but rather a “Why was this rated F4/EF4/IF4" section.
  3. This tornado started on the day listed, but continued into the next day.
  1. The winds estimated by the Fujita Scale are estimated values and have not been verified scientifically.[3]

References

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