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How To Measure a Tornado's strength![](images/Jtornado6.gif)
How To Measure a Tornado's Strength
The Fujita Scale
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F0
gale tornado
40-72 mph Some damage to chimneys; breaks branches off trees; pushes over shallow-rooted trees; damages sign boards.
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F1
moderate tornado
73-112 mph Lower limit is the beginning of hurricane-force winds. Peels surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed over; moving autos pushed off roads.
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F2
significant tornado
113-157 mph Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over, large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated.
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F3
severe tornado
158-206 mph Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed homes; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted; heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown.
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F4
devastating tornado
207-260 mph Well-constructed homes leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated.
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F5
incredible tornado
261-318 mph Phenomenal damage. Strong frame homes disintegrate or lifted off foundations and carried considerable distance; trees debarked.