Measuring Destruction: The EF Scale Tornado Guide

If a tornado is too violent for standard wind-measuring tools to survive, then scientists cannot get a direct speed reading. If they examine the resulting destruction instead, then they can use engineering models to work backward and find the likely wind speed. Therefore, the EF scale is a damage-based estimation tool.

If a rating is based on damage to buildings and trees, then the damage must exist before a rating can be assigned. If the damage only happens during the storm, then the rating can only be determined after a post-storm survey. Therefore, the statement is false.

If the original F-Scale was updated in 2007 to better reflect the strength of different building materials, then it was made better or "enhanced." If we use the official name of this modern system, then the "E" stands for Enhanced.

If the scale starts at the weakest point of damage (EF0) and goes up to the most extreme destruction (EF5), then there are six total categories. If the numerical values assigned to these categories are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, then the range is 0 to 5.

If a very large tornado stays in an empty field, it might cause almost no damage. If a small, narrow tornado hits a high-rise building, it can cause extreme destruction. If the rating is based on damage and not size, then a big tornado is not automatically a high-rating storm.

If the original scale assumed all houses were built the same way, then it was often inaccurate. If the new scale allows surveyors to adjust for "poor" versus "strong" construction, then the wind speed estimates become much more precise. Therefore, construction quality was the reason for the update.

If the scale starts at the lowest possible intensity, then it uses the number 0. If these storms have the lowest wind speeds (65-85 mph) and cause the least amount of harm, then they are classified as EF0.

If a surveyor looks at a house (a DI), they need to know if just the shingles are gone or if the whole roof is gone. If each level of destruction for that house has a specific number, then those levels are the Degrees of Damage. Therefore, DODs are the sub-steps used to pick a wind speed.

If the scale is named the Fujita Scale, then it honors the man who created it. If that researcher was Tetsuya "Ted" Fujita from the University of Chicago, then Ted is the correct name.

If the National Weather Service (NWS) is the government body in the USA responsible for weather records, then they must use the standardized national scale. Since the EF scale became the US standard in 2007, the NWS uses it for every confirmed tornado.

If the scale requires damage to structures or trees to provide a rating, then it needs "targets" to hit. If a violent tornado stays in a flat desert with no trees or buildings, then there is no damage to measure. Therefore, the scale may underestimate the strength of "open-field" tornadoes.

If an EF4 is "Devastating," then it must cause severe structural failure. If leveling houses (A), throwing cars (B), and stripping bark from trees (D) are all indicators of 166-200 mph winds, then they are correct. If branches and shingles are minor damage, they do not represent an EF4.

If direct measurement is impossible and we need a scientific way to compare different storms from different years, then we need a standard set of rules. If those rules use damage to calculate wind speed, then the EF scale is the necessary tool for historical and scientific records.

If an EF5 rating represents the maximum level of destruction on the scale, then it must correspond to the most extreme damage possible. If a house is completely removed from its foundation and the debris is shredded, then the force required is at the EF5 level.

If the scale requires specific objects to evaluate, then it uses 28 standard categories known as Damage Indicators. If houses (A), trees (B), and schools (C) are all on that official list, then they are valid indicators. Since the Sun and grass color are not on the list, they are not used.

If the EF scale uses specific wind speed brackets for each category, then EF0 ends at 85 mph. If the next category (EF1) covers the range immediately following that, then 86-110 mph is the scientifically assigned bracket for EF1.

If a tornado travels for 10 miles and mostly hits trees (EF0) but destroys one strong barn (EF2) in the middle, then the storm was capable of EF2 force at that moment. If the scale measures the maximum intensity reached, then the highest DOD found determines the final rating.

If a house falls down easily because it wasn't bolted to the floor, then the tornado might look stronger than it actually was. If the surveyor evaluates how well the house was put together, then they are assessing the quality. This allows for a fair ef scale tornado rating.

If the bracket for EF4 is 166-200 mph and the bracket for EF5 is anything "over 200 mph," then 210 mph falls into the highest category. Therefore, a 210 mph storm is an EF5.

If an EF1 only causes minor surface damage and an EF3 destroys most of the house, then the "middle" damage of losing a roof entirely belongs to EF2. If the wind speed is between 111-135 mph, then it is an EF2 tornado.