Fujita Scale

Pinterest

Fujita and Enhanced Fujita Scales for Measuring Tornado Intensity

Fujita Scale

The Fujita scale (F scale) is a rating system for tornadoes that was developed by Dr. Tetsuya Theodore Fujita in 1971. It is based on the damage caused by tornadoes and assigns a rating from F0 to F5, with F5 being the most intense. The F scale is still used in some parts of the world, but has been replaced by the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF scale) in the United States.

Enhanced Fujita Scale

The EF scale is a revised version of the F scale that was developed by the National Weather Service in 2007. It uses more detailed criteria to assess damage and assigns a rating from EF0 to EF5. The EF scale is considered to be more accurate than the F scale, and is now the standard scale for rating tornadoes in the United States.

Comparison of F and EF Scales

The following table shows the wind speeds and typical damage associated with each rating on the F and EF scales:

| F Scale | EF Scale | Wind Speed (mph) | Typical Damage | |---|---|---|---| | F0 | EF0 | 65-85 | Light damage to trees and structures | | F1 | EF1 | 86-110 | Moderate damage to trees and structures | | F2 | EF2 | 111-135 | Considerable damage to trees and structures | | F3 | EF3 | 136-165 | Severe damage to trees and structures | | F4 | EF4 | 166-200 | Devastating damage to trees and structures | | F5 | EF5 | 201+ | Incredible damage to trees and structures |

Pinterest