Supercell tornadoes are much stronger and wider than damage-based ratings indicate

This study documents the actual distribution of supercell-tornado wind intensities and sizes, revealing that most are much stronger than damage surveys indicate, with >20% of tornadoes potentially capable of causing catastrophic EF-4/EF-5 damage. Additionally, supercell tornadoes are shown to be much wider than damage surveys indicate. These results are significant for tornado science, tornado risk quantification and mitigation, and design for more resilient communities. We also present meaningful comparisons of the distribution of actually observed tornado intensities and sizes with theoretical predictions, which is significant for basic tornado science.