Categories of tornadoes

In 1971, Dr. T. Theodore Fujita of the University of Chicago came up with a six-category scale to classify U.S. tornadoes into intensity categories, named F0-F5. These categories are based upon the estimated maximum winds within the funnel.

The Fujita Tornado Scale, more commonly called the “F Scale”, has become the recognized scale for estimating wind speeds within tornadoes based upon the damage done to buildings and structures.

Here’s a list of the various classifications:

Category FO — Gale Tornado Category 40 – 72 mph
Light damage: some damage to chimneys, breaks branches off trees, pushes over shallow-rooted trees, and damages sign boards.

Category F1 — Moderate Tornado Category 73 – 112 mph
Moderate damage: The lower limit Category 73 mph– is the beginning of hurricane wind speed, peels surfaces of roofs, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, and moving autos pushed off roads.

Category F2 — Significant Tornado Category 112 – 157 mph
Considerable damage: Roofs torn off the frames of houses, mobile homes demolished, boxcars pushed over, large trees snapped or uprooted, and heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown

Category F3 — Severe Tornado Category 158 – 206 mph
Severe damage: Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses, trains overturned, most trees in forest uprooted, and heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown.

Category F4 — Devastating Tornado Category 207 – 260 mph
Devastating damage: Well-constructed houses leveled, structures blown off weak foundations, and cars and other large objects thrown about.

Category F5 — Incredible Tornado Category 261 – 318 mph
Incredible damage: Strong frame houses are lifted off foundations and carried a considerable distance and disintegrated, automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters, and trees debarked.

Source: datarecovery.com

Advertisement