10/07/2025
It’s official — for the first time in 12 years, the U.S. has seen an EF5 tornado. The powerful storm struck near Enderlin, North Dakota, back on June 20, 2025, and after months of careful investigation, the National Weather Service officially upgraded it to EF5 status on October 6. The upgrade came after experts reviewed the extreme damage, including a tanker rail car thrown nearly 500 feet, train cars derailed, and homes completely swept from their foundations. Winds were estimated to have exceeded 210 miles per hour, leaving behind devastation that’s hard to even imagine. Sadly, three people lost their lives in this storm — a sobering reminder of just how destructive nature can be.
This tornado carved a path a little over 12 miles long and more than a mile wide, tearing through farmland, destroying buildings, and stripping trees down to bare bark.