NaturalHazards.org
Visualizing a Safer Planet


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The Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale is a refinement of the original Fujita Scale, developed by T. Theodore Fujita in the late 1960's. Both scales are based on estimates of 3-second gust wind speed from damage.

Number

Wind speed range

Approximate Damage level (original Fujita Scale)

0 65 - 85 mph light: broken tree branches.
1 86 to 110 mph moderate: broken trees and windows.
2 111 to 135 mph considerable: large trees uprooted and weak buildings destroyed.
3 136 to 165 mph severe: stand of trees completely destroyed, cars overturned, some building walls destroyed.
4 166 to 200 mph devastating: entire buildings completely destroyed.
5 over 200 mph incredible: strong, steel-reinforced structures have considerable damage or are completely destroyed, objects as large as cars moved over 100 meters.

 

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