How do scientist categorize tornadoes?

Tornadoes are categorized by their wind speed and the amount of damage they cause using a scale called the “Enhanced Fujita” scale. It is usually abbreviated as the “EF” scale.

How many categories of classification are there for tornadoes?

According to Enhanced Fujita Scale, the tornadoes in the United States and Canada can be rated in six categories: EF0, EF1, EF2, EF3, EF4 and EF5.

Is there an F6 tornado?

There is no such thing as an F6 tornado, even though Ted Fujita plotted out F6-level winds. The Fujita scale, as used for rating tornados, only goes up to F5. Even if a tornado had F6-level winds, near ground level, which is *very* unlikely, if not impossible, it would only be rated F5.

What is the difference between F5 and EF5 tornado?

An F5 tornado was estimated to have wind speeds of 261-318 mph. The EF scale dramatically reduced the wind speeds for the highest tornado rating with EF5 tornadoes considered to have wind speeds greater than 200 mph.

What is the tornado scale called?

Fujita Scale
Fujita Scale (or F Scale) of tornado damage intensity. The F Scale was developed based on damage intensity and not wind speed; wind speed ranges given are estimated, based on the extent of observed damage.

Can there be F6 tornadoes?

What is a Category 3 tornado?

F3 Category Tornado Severe Tornado. Severe damage: Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forests uprooted; heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown; weak pavement blown off roads.

What is the highest category for a tornado?

EF5 tornadoes
EF5 tornadoes are the highest category on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The strength of F/EF5 tornadoes makes them particularly dangerous. The five deadliest F/EF5 tornadoes may surprise you.

What are the different sizes of tornadoes?

The three sizes are: weak, strong, and violent. Their size is based on how large the tornado is as well as the time that the tornado lasts and how it compares to the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

What is a F12 tornado?

The original Fujita Scale actually goes up to F12. An F12 tornado would have winds of about 740 MPH, the speed of sound. Roughly 3/4 of all tornadoes are EF0 or EF1 tornadoes and have winds that are less than 100 MPH. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are rare but cause the majority of tornado deaths.

What is a category 4 tornado?

F4 Category Tornado Devastating Tornado. Devastating damage: Well constructed homes leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and disintegrated; large missiles generated; trees in forest uprooted and carried some distance away.

Has there ever been a Category 6 tornado?