The nation's longest "drought" without the most extreme type of tornado has come to an end, scientists from the National Weather Service announced Oct. 6.
The tornado that ended the 12-year gap actually hit back in June, but new damage analysis retroactively upgraded a deadly tornado initially categorized as EF3 that hit near Enderlin, North Dakota. Now, it is considered an EF5, the most dangerous category, with wind speeds estimated at 210 mph.
The tornado was more than a mile wide, sent train cars airborne and killed three people. It is the nation's first EF5 tornado since the Moore, Oklahoma, tornado on May 20, 2013.
The period between the Moore and Enderlin tornadoes is the longest “drought” in the worst type of tornadoes since the beginning of official records in 1950.
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