User blog comment:SPCBlackfordCounty995Main/Will 2017 have EF5 tornadoes and derechoes?/@comment-26014793-20161231222135

Hmm, this is a tough one. We are under a weak La Nina right now but we might be back to an ENSO neutral phase by March or April. If that's the case then we'll probably have a roughly average year. If La Nina sticks around into April then it's probably not out of the question.

One problem is that the rating system seems to be getting stricter and for that reason I doubt there will be any tornadoes that actually get an EF5 rating. Will there be any tornadoes that are EF5 strength? I'd say probably, but then there have been a few of those in this past 3-year drought (Vilonia, Fairdale and Abilene come to mind) that were rated EF4.