Ending the ‘EF-5 drought’, first EF-5 tornado confirmed in over a decade

Earlier this week, the National Weather Service released an updated damage survey for a tornado that struck North Dakota back in June. On June 20, 2025, a large and destructive tornado hit the town of Enderlin, staying on the ground for more than 12 miles and reaching over a mile wide at times. Tragically, three people lost their lives during this event.

Initial surveys estimated peak wind speeds around 160 mph, classifying the tornado as an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. However, after additional assessments and collaboration with wind damage experts, the National Weather Service in Grand Forks determined that the tornado produced estimated maximum wind speeds exceeding 210 mph, upgrading it to an EF-5.

This makes it the first EF-5 tornado in the United States since 2013, ending what some meteorologists have called an “EF-5 drought.”

Because the tornado moved through a largely rural area, it was challenging to find strong structural damage indicators. However, evidence such as sandpapering of tree bark and rail cars moved more than 400 feet helped confirm the EF-5 intensity.

The last EF-5 tornado to strike U.S. soil was the Moore, Oklahoma, tornado on May 20, 2013, which claimed 24 lives and caused devastating destruction.

EF-5 tornadoes are exceptionally rare, as they require extreme atmospheric conditions capable of producing winds over 200 mph. On the Enhanced Fujita Scale, tornadoes are rated from EF-0 (65–85 mph) to EF-5 (over 200 mph) based on wind speed and the corresponding damage they cause.

With this latest upgrade, the U.S. has officially ended its 12-year EF-5 drought — a powerful reminder of the strength and unpredictability of nature.