The Fujita Scale was developed in 1971 by Tetsuya Fujita as a way to measure the intensity of a tornado – how much it eats. In 1999, after the May 3rd tornado in Oklahoma, the Fujita Scale was enhanced. The table below shows the new and enhanced scale.
| Rating | Damage | Wind Speed | Indicators |
|---|---|---|---|
| EF-0 | Light | 65-80 mph | Causes some damage to siding and shingles |
| EF-1 | Moderate | 86-110 mph | Considerable roof damage. Winds can uproot trees and overturn single-wide mobile homes. Flagpoles bend. |
| EF-2 | Considerable | 111-135 mph | Most single-wide mobile homes destroyed. Permanent home can shift off of foundations. Flagpoles collapse. Softwood trees debarked. |
| EF-3 | Severe | 136-165 mph | Hardwood trees debarked. All but small portions of houses destroyed. |
| EF-4 | Devastating | 166-200 mph | Complete destruction of well-built houses and large sections of school buildings. |
| EF-5 | Incredible | >200 mph | Significant structural deformation of mid and high-rise buildings. |