Fujita Scale

Fujita Damage Intensity Scale

Light damage. Some damage to chimneys; break branches off trees; push

over shallow-rooted trees; damage sign boards.

Moderate damage. The lower limit is the beginning of hurricane wind speed;

peel surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned;

moving autos pushed off the roads.

Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished;

boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles

generated.

Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses;

trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted; heavy cars lifted off the ground

and thrown.

Devastating damage. Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak

foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated.

Incredible damage. Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried

considerable distance to disintegrate; automobile sized missiles fly through

the air in excess of 100 meters(109 yds); trees debarked; incredible phenomena

will occur.

(from J. Atmos. Sci., August 1981, pg 1517-1519)