What are the categories of tornadoes?
Tornado Classification
| Weak | EF0, EF1 | Wind speeds of 65 to 110 mph |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | EF2, EF3 | Wind speeds of 111 to 165 mph |
| Violent | EF4, EF5 | Wind speeds of 166 to 200 mph or more |
How are tornadoes categorized and what do they mean?
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.
What are the three categories that tornadoes are divided into?
News & Events
- Weak | (EFO, EF1) These tornadoes are classified as having wind speeds of 65 to 110 miles per hour.
- Strong | (EF2, EF3) These tornadoes are classified as having wind speeds of 111 to 165 miles per hour.
- Violent | (EF4, EF5) These tornadoes are classified as having wind speeds of 166 to 200 miles per hour.
What are the 5 stages of a tornado?
Terms in this set (5)
- Dust-Whirl Stage. Dust swirling upwards from the ground and grows toward the funnel cloud in the sky.
- Organizing Stage. Downward extend of funnel and “connection” with dust-whirl on the ground.
- Mature Stage. Tornado on the ground.
- Shrinkage Stage.
- Decaying Stage.
What is a category 5 tornado?
The scale ranks tornadoes from F0 to F5, with F0 being the least intense and F5 being the most intense. F5 tornadoes were estimated to have had maximum winds between 261 mph (420 km/h) and 318 mph (512 km/h).
How many levels of tornadoes are there?
The Fujita Scale
| F-Scale Number | Intensity Phrase | Wind Speed |
|---|---|---|
| F0 | Gale tornado | 40-72 mph |
| F3 | Severe tornado | 158-206 mph |
| F4 | Devastating tornado | 207-260 mph |
| F5 | Incredible tornado | 261-318 mph |
What is the scale called that we use to categorize tornadoes?
The Enhanced Fujita Scale or EF Scale, which became operational on February 1, 2007, is used to assign a tornado a ‘rating’ based on estimated wind speeds and related damage.
What are the 4 stages of tornado?
The formation and life cycle of tornadoes can be explained in a series of stages:
- Stage 1 – Storm development. Sunshine heats the ground which in turn heats the air near ground level.
- Stage 2 – Storm organisation.
- Stage 3 – Tornado formation.
- Stage 4 – Tornado dissipation.
What is an F6 tornado?
The F6 is a mythical tornado that you would likely only see in movies or hear of in tall tales. It is similar to the magnitude 10 tornado. Early history may have witnessed such phenomena but they have not occurred in modern times due to more settled climates. The F6 tornado would be the granddaddy of all tornadoes.