Official rating: EF2 - 135 miles per hour 

My estimate: 270-280 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 0/0

Notes: This rural tornado was scanned by a DOW unit, which found windspeeds of up to 270 miles per hour shortly above the surface.

Official rating: EF4 - 190 miles per hour 

My estimate: 201-205 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 6/48

Notes: Incredibly violent motion as the tornado moved through downtown Cullman, and was mentioned as an EF5 candidate in the January 2025 "where have all the EF5s gone" study. Was likely in the 191-205 range at some point along its path.

Official rating: EF4 - 190 miles per hour 

My estimate: ~210 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 21/335

Notes: Extremely severe vegetation and home damage. The tornado was produced by the same cell that dropped the Rainsville EF5, meaning that the cell was capable of producing tornadoes of EF5 intensity prior to entering Northern Georgia.

Official rating: EF4 - 200 miles per hour 

My estimate: 200-210 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 0/61

Notes: Well-built homes were reduced to bare slabs, although a fence standing nearby one of the hardest-hit homes was cited as a reason to not upgrade the tornado.

Official rating: EF4 - 175 miles per hour 

My estimate: ~205 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 12/Unknown

Notes: Chunks of pavement were ripped out of a road and tossed so violently into the ground that they caused impact craters. The National Weather Service later stated that it was likely an EF5, but didn't expand on why the rating wasn't upgraded.

Official rating: EF3 - 155 miles per hour 

My estimate: >310 miles per hour (momentary)

Deaths/Injuries:8/151

Notes: Self-explanatory.

Official rating: EF4 - 190 miles per hour 

My estimate: ~210 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 16/193

Notes: Several well-built homes were completely swept away, but nearby trees and debris loading were cited as reasons not to upgrade. This tornado being of EF5 intensity is probably the least-controversial take on this site.

Official rating: EF4 - 200 miles per hour 

My estimate: 201-210 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 2/22

Notes: Produced extreme damage to homes and scoured pavement. Officially is 1 mile per hour under the EF5 threshold, but probably reached above it at some point along its track. 

Official rating: EF4 - 190 miles per hour 

My estimate: 205-215 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 8/99

Notes: Swept away a well-built home with anchor bolts; was listed as an EF5 candidate in the January 2025 NSSL study.

Official rating: EF4 - 170 miles per hour 

My estimate: 205-210 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 8/16

Notes: Extensive violent tree damage was observed in rural portions of the tornado's track, and it was likely of EF5 intensity at some point along its track. Along Highway 77 near Leachville, Arkansas, the tornado tore anchor bolts out of a solid concrete foundation belonging to a metal-framed building.

Official rating: EF4 - 190 miles per hour 

My estimate: >215 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 57/519

Notes: This tornado produced borderline-EF5 damage to homes in the Bremen, Kentucky, area and extreme damage both to trees and vehicles. Likely one of the strongest tornadoes in the 2020s.

Official rating: EF4 - 195 miles per hour 

My estimate: 201-210 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 17/165

Notes: Structural damage in Rolling Fork possibly reflected that the tornado was of EF5 intensity; reasons cited for not upgrading included the fact that there was only one DI for a building instead of two. NWS meteorologists later said it was likely of EF5 intensity, but no reason for not upgrading was given.

Official rating: EF4 - 185 miles per hour 

My estimate: Briefly over 200 miles per hour

Deaths/Injuries: 2/55

Notes: Tree damage south of Barnsdall particularly impresses me, and I wouldn't doubt this tornado briefly reached EF5 intensity as it peaked over forested areas.

Official rating: EF4 - 185 miles per hour 

My estimate: ~300 miles per hour (momentary)

Deaths/Injuries: 5/35

Notes: A DOW unit measured wind speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour 150 feet above the ground during the tornado. In addition, anchored parking stops were dislodged in Greenfield, although whether those are solid EF5 indicators is questionable.

Official rating: EF4 - 170 miles per hour 

My estimate: 201-205 miles per hour (briefly)

Deaths/Injuries: 19/108

Notes: While structural damage in both Somerset and London are only indicative of an EF3 and low-end EF4 tornado, tree damage and EF4-rated structural damage in the Daniel Boone National Forest between the two towns leads me to believe that this tornado likely reached EF5 intensity somewhere in the area.