What Is The Fujita Scale Or F Scale

Here are some interesting tornado facts about the way tornadoes are measured and rated. The standard scale that is used to measure the size of a tornado is called the Fujita Scale or F Scale as it is more commonly referred to. The F Scale was devised in 1951 by the Japanese American meteorologist Tetsuya Fujita. This scale classifies tornadoes on a hierarchy based on the amount of damaged that they caused. By measuring the amount of damage a wind speed can be determined and used to rate the tornado on the Fujita Scale. In 2007 the Enhanced Fujita scale was developed by the Texas Tech. University Wind Science and Engineering Research Center in conjunction with other wind engineers and meteorologists. By incorporating improved knowledge of wind speeds and the resulting damage they were able to determine a more accurate assessment of a tornado based on its destruction path. The scale retained the categories of the original Fujita Scale but the associated wind speeds were revised. Below is the enhanced F Scale or EF Scale rating measurements that were adopted by the National Weather Service in 2007. EF0- Estimated winds of 65-85 mph. EF1- Estimated winds of 86-110 mph. EF2- Estimated winds of 111-135 mph. EF3- Estimated winds of 136-165 mph. EF4- Estimated winds of 166-200 mph. EF5- Estimated winds over 200 mph.