Fujita Tornado Damage Scale

The Fujita Tornado Damage Scale

The Fujita Tornado Scale, usually referred to as the F-Scale, classifies tornadoes based on the resulting damage. This scale was developed by Dr. T. Theodore Fujita (University of Chicago) in 1971.

F-SCALE	WINDS	TYPE OF DAMAGE	FREQUENCY
F0	40-72 mph 64-116 km/h	MINIMAL DAMAGE: Some damage to chimneys, TV antennas, roof shingles, trees, and windows.	29%
F1	73-112 mph 117-180 km/h	MODERATE DAMAGE: Automobiles overturned, carports destroyed, trees uprooted.	40%
F2	113-157 mph 181-253 km/h	MAJOR DAMAGE: Roofs blown off homes, sheds and outbuildings demolished, mobile homes overturned.	24%
F3	158-206 mph 254-332 km/h	SEVERE DAMAGE: Exterior walls and roofs blown off homes. Metal buildings collapsed or are severely damaged. Forests and farmland flattened.	6%
F4	207-260 mph 333-418 km/h	DEVASTATING DAMAGE: Few walls, if any, standing in well-built homes. Large steel and concrete missiles thrown far distances.	2%
F5	261-318 mph 419-512 km/h	INCREDIBLE DAMAGE: Homes leveled with all debris removed. Schools, motels, and other larger structures have considerable damage with exterior walls and roofs gone. Top stories demolished.	less than 1%

This scale courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Madison's Cooperate Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies