Enhanced Fujita scale facts for kids
The Enhanced Fujita scale is a way to measure how strong a tornado is based on the damage it causes. It's used in the United States and Canada. The National Weather Service started using this scale in the U.S. on February 1, 2007. Canada began using it in April 2013. This scale replaced an older one called the Fujita scale.
Tornadoes are rated from EF0 (the weakest) to EF5 (the strongest). An EF5 tornado has winds of 200 miles per hour (322 km/h) or even faster! Tornadoes that happened before February 1, 2007, in the U.S. will keep their old ratings and won't be changed to the new scale.
| Scale | Wind speed (Estimated) |
What the damage looks like | ||
| mph | km/h | |||
| EFU | Unknown | Unknown | No damage is found. This means the tornado didn't hit anything, or experts couldn't reach the damaged area to check it. | N/A |
| EF0 | 65–85 | 104–137 | Light damage.
You might see small damage to chimneys. Tree branches can break off. Signs might be damaged, and some roof shingles could blow away. |
 |
| EF1 | 86–110 | 138–177 | Moderate damage.
Roofs might have their surfaces peeled off. Mobile homes can be pushed or rolled over. Moving cars and trucks might be pushed off the road. Some garages could be destroyed. |
 |
| EF2 | 111–135 | 178–217 | Significant damage.
Roofs can be torn off frame houses. Mobile homes are often destroyed. Large trees might be snapped or pulled out of the ground. |
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| EF3 | 136–165 | 218–266 | Severe damage.
Roofs and some walls can come off well-built houses. Trains might be rolled over. Most trees in a forest can be uprooted. Heavy cars might be lifted off the ground and thrown. |
 |
| EF4 | 166–200 | 267–322 | Devastating damage.
Well-built houses can be leveled (flattened). Buildings and other things with weak foundations might be blown away very far. |
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| EF5 | >200 | >322 | Incredible damage.
Strong frame houses can be lifted off their foundations and thrown very far away, often being destroyed. Trees might have their bark stripped off. Strong steel and concrete structures can be badly damaged. |
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See also
In Spanish: Escala Fujita mejorada para niños
