What Is An Enhanced Fujita Scale, And How Does An EF5 On The Scale Affect Oklahoma Residents?

Tornadoes occur on almost every continent except Antarctica, and the United States is among the countries that encounter the most tornadoes. Approximately 1000 tornadoes are reported in the US every year, raising the need for research and development into disaster management. One particular research that has helped identify the intensity of tornadoes is the EF scale. An EF5 tornado scale is an Enhanced Fujita Scale, which rates the tornado on a scale from 0 to 5.

Scroll down to know more details about the EF scale.

Who developed the EF scale?

The Enhanced Fujita Scale was developed by Ted Fujita, a professor at the University of Chicago. Due to his extensive contributions to the study of tornadoes, he was called “Mr. Tornado.” The US National Weather Service has been using the EF scale to study tornadoes since 1973.

Before the introduction of this scale, it was hard to predict the intensity of tornadoes because there wasn’t enough information available, but thanks to Prof. Ted Fujita, this is now possible.

How does it work?

The EF scale studies the damage caused by tornadoes and rates them accordingly. It considers different metrics to assess the damage, such as the damages caused to the roofs of the house, collapsed outside walls, or damage caused to the whole house. These factors help scientists determine the speed of the tornado.

If the tornado’s speed exceeds 200 miles per hour, it is called an EF5 tornado, while if the speed is between 65 to 85 miles an hour, it is called an EF0 tornado.

Has there ever been an EF5 scale tornado?

The most recent EF5 scale tornado occurred on May 20, 2013, in Moore, Oklahoma. It was a 40-minute tornado that caused 25 deaths and severe property loss.

However, the most dangerous EF5 scale tornado happened on March 18, 1925. It was a “Tri-State Tornado,” which was 219 miles wide. It caused 695 deaths and damaged around 15,000 homes.

How can Oklahoma residents prepare for an EF5 Tornado?

An EF5 scale tornado is deadly and life-threatening, as it can spread to a significantly larger area, giving residents less time to prepare and causing more fatalities. You must have a storm shelter in your home to save yourself and your family from an EF5 tornado, as it is easily accessible and doesn’t require much preparation before the tornado.

Contact Oklahoma Shelters if you want to install a storm shelter in Norman!

The introduction of the EF scale has simplified the study of tornadoes to a great extent. However, tornadoes are a force of nature, and you can never be fully sure of them. Even with all the technology, houses get damaged, and people lose their lives because of tornadoes, and in a country like the US, the need to build a storm shelter is more than ever.

If you don’t have a storm shelter in your house yet,  contact us. We build all kinds of storm shelters in Norman.