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What is the Fujita Scale for Tornadoes?
The Fujita Scale, named for Dr. Ted Fujita, is a chart used to measure the strength and damage caused by tornadoes.
Historically it has been very difficult to measure wind speeds created by a tornado, so Dr. Fujita created a chart that
was based on the amount of damage caused by a tornado instead of wind speeds. Technology is catching up, however, and
more accurate wind speed estimates can be guaged for tornadoes. The Fujita chart, although only a general classification of
strength, serves as a good starting place for rating tornadoes.
| FUJITA SCALE |
| SCALE |
CATEGORY |
MPH |
KNOTS |
DAMAGE |
| F0 |
Weak |
40-72 |
35-62 |
Light: tree branches broken sign boards damaged. |
| F1 |
Weak |
73-112 |
63-97 |
Moderate: trees snapped, windows broken. |
| F2 |
Strong |
113-157 |
98-136 |
Considerable: large trees uprooted, weak structures destroyed. |
| F3 |
Strong |
158-206 |
137-179 |
Severe: trees leveled, cars overturned, walls removed from buildings. |
| F4 |
Violent |
207-260 |
180-226 |
Devastating: frame house destroyed. |
| F5 |
Violent |
261-318 |
227-276 |
Incredible: structures the sized of autos moved over 100m, steel-reinforced structures highly damaged. |
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