Ralph's software purports to completely eliminate the data transmission delay between the satellite and Scorpion's computers. However, software can only decrease the sluggishness resulting from limited computational speed and compress data, allowing more information to be transmitted within the constraint of bandwidth. It cannot reduce the delay caused by the inherent latency of a satellite connection and the following re-transmission of the information to the team's devices in Vietnam.
The team refers to the tornado as an F3, which is a significant tornado. However, while Sylvester is able to observe wind speed using the radar satellite, the Fujita scale used to rate tornadoes makes its determinations based on observed ground damage in the aftermath, and the team would know this.
When Paige is lifted by the tornado she holds Walter with only one hand only briefly grabbing on with her other hand before letting go again, the tornado is clearly not preventing this by pulling her arm back because she is moving it freely while off the ground.
Walter (and a few other teammates) held the dry ice with their bare hands. In reality, doing so for the amounts of time they did would cause severe frostbite. Everybody on the team would know this, and would use towels, gloves, or even pieces of their own clothing to act as a buffer.