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Understanding the Energy of Tornadoes

UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGY OF mgrow the me. YORNADOES The destructive power of a tornado depends on its size and wind speed, as well as the length of its path. These things, in turn, are all determined by how much energy is contained within the tornado. Although the total energy of a tornado is quite low, it's also very concentrated; because of this energy density, tornadoes are the most powerful force in nature for their size. Below you will explore the comparative energy of different tornadoes and discover the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which measures the power of tornadoes. THE ENERGY OF A TORNADO The energy level of an average tornado is about 10,000 kilowatt-hours. Compared with a typical hurricane, which contains 10 billion kilowatt-hours (the same as a hydrogen bomb), this may seem unimpressive. The energy density, however, is at least 6 times greater in a tornado than in a hurricane, giving it a concentrated destructive power unlike any other in the natural world. 1 About 70% of all tornadoes are relatively weak, rated an EFO or EF1 on the tornado measurement scale. » These average tornadoes have wind Containing significant amounts of speeds of about 70-100 mph and are about 0.1 mile wide. energy, even these comparatively mild tornadoes can be tremendously destructive. Compared with human energy consumption, the average tornado contains: x1000 » Enough power to light 1,000 100-watt light bulbs for 4 days 100-watt light bulbs x 4 days » The equivalent of 6 barrels of oil » The equivalet of 300 gallons of jet fuel х 300 jet fuel »The equivalent of an average х10 household's electricity consumption for 10 months months 3 Larger tornadoes can be as much as 4 times larger and more powerful than those described above. EF3 TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA EF2 EF4 EF5 > The recent devastating tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was a rare EF5, over a mile wide and with an estimated wind speed of 205 mph. » This was just one of over 300 twisters that swept across the Midwest on April 26-27. » This unprecedented breakout of severe tornadoes caused at least 350 deaths and thousands of serious injuries, destroyed some 10,000 and businesses, and caused an estimated $5 billion in damage. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE Dr. T. Theodore Fujita first introduced The Fujita Scale in 1971 to measure the power of tornadoes in terms of intensity and area. The scale uses the level of damage and the height of the damaged structure from the ground to determine the power of the tornado. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE EFo EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 LESS DAMAGE TOTAL DEVASTATION » The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which was developed by a committee and first implemented in 2007, addresses these issues and provides a more standardized and accurate means of measuring tornadoes. » The EF Scale still uses a set of wind estimates based on damage, but it uses 3-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a standardized set of 6 levels of damage. » These estimates vary with the height and exposure of the structure in question. » The Degree of Damage (DOD) is based on a chart 28 of 28 Damage Indicators, which provide an estimated wind speed and the degree of damage that wind speed causes to a given type of structure. Damage Indicators SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EFo 65-85 53.5% » Confirmed tornadoes with minor damage are rated EFO. » These tornadoes can be strong enough to cause minor damage, such as broken tree branches and pulled-off gutters and siding. » An EFO tornado struck Shelby County, Alabama in March 2009, damaging a number of homes and trees in the area. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF1 86-110 31.6% » These tornadoes cause moderate damage, including stripped roofs, loss of doors and windows, and broken glass. Mobile homes might be overturned or badly damaged. » A series of EF1 tornadoes pummelled the region of Augusta, Wisconsin on April 11, 2011. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF2 111-135 10.7% » Considerable damage to well-constructed buildings. » Roofs torn off; trees uprooted; cars lifted off the ground. » An EF2 tornado in Aumsville, Oregon in December 2010 was the most severe tornado the state had experienced in 17 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF3 136-165 3.4% » Severe damage to natural and man-made structures. » Entire stories of houses destroyed; significant damage to malls and other large buildings. » Cars lifted and thrown; trains overturned. » An EF3 tornado in Suffolk, Virginia in April 2008 was responsible for 200 injuries, dozens of destroyed homes, and rampant gas leaks. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF4 166-200 0.7% » Extreme damage. » Houses and other buildings completely leveled. » Large objects thrown; small objects turned into missiles. The Good Friday tornado in St. Louis, Missouri on April 22, 2011, an EF4, was the strongest experienced in that region in 44 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF5 «0.1% 200+ » Total devastation. » Houses leveled and swept away from foundations. Steel-reinforced concrete structures severely damaged. » In 2007, an EF5 tornado utterly devastated Greensburg, Kansas. Around 95 percent of the city was destroyed; at least 13 people were killed and hundreds more injured. SOURCES: » http://www.usatoday.com » http://www.tropicalweather.net » http://www.huffingtonpost.com http://thesouthernnews.wordpress.com http://www.spc.noaa.gov » http://www.srh.noaa.gov » http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com » http://voices.washingtonpost.com » http://thelope.com UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGY OF mgrow the me. YORNADOES The destructive power of a tornado depends on its size and wind speed, as well as the length of its path. These things, in turn, are all determined by how much energy is contained within the tornado. Although the total energy of a tornado is quite low, it's also very concentrated; because of this energy density, tornadoes are the most powerful force in nature for their size. Below you will explore the comparative energy of different tornadoes and discover the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which measures the power of tornadoes. THE ENERGY OF A TORNADO The energy level of an average tornado is about 10,000 kilowatt-hours. Compared with a typical hurricane, which contains 10 billion kilowatt-hours (the same as a hydrogen bomb), this may seem unimpressive. The energy density, however, is at least 6 times greater in a tornado than in a hurricane, giving it a concentrated destructive power unlike any other in the natural world. 1 About 70% of all tornadoes are relatively weak, rated an EFO or EF1 on the tornado measurement scale. » These average tornadoes have wind Containing significant amounts of speeds of about 70-100 mph and are about 0.1 mile wide. energy, even these comparatively mild tornadoes can be tremendously destructive. Compared with human energy consumption, the average tornado contains: x1000 » Enough power to light 1,000 100-watt light bulbs for 4 days 100-watt light bulbs x 4 days » The equivalent of 6 barrels of oil » The equivalet of 300 gallons of jet fuel х 300 jet fuel »The equivalent of an average х10 household's electricity consumption for 10 months months 3 Larger tornadoes can be as much as 4 times larger and more powerful than those described above. EF3 TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA EF2 EF4 EF5 > The recent devastating tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was a rare EF5, over a mile wide and with an estimated wind speed of 205 mph. » This was just one of over 300 twisters that swept across the Midwest on April 26-27. » This unprecedented breakout of severe tornadoes caused at least 350 deaths and thousands of serious injuries, destroyed some 10,000 and businesses, and caused an estimated $5 billion in damage. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE Dr. T. Theodore Fujita first introduced The Fujita Scale in 1971 to measure the power of tornadoes in terms of intensity and area. The scale uses the level of damage and the height of the damaged structure from the ground to determine the power of the tornado. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE EFo EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 LESS DAMAGE TOTAL DEVASTATION » The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which was developed by a committee and first implemented in 2007, addresses these issues and provides a more standardized and accurate means of measuring tornadoes. » The EF Scale still uses a set of wind estimates based on damage, but it uses 3-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a standardized set of 6 levels of damage. » These estimates vary with the height and exposure of the structure in question. » The Degree of Damage (DOD) is based on a chart 28 of 28 Damage Indicators, which provide an estimated wind speed and the degree of damage that wind speed causes to a given type of structure. Damage Indicators SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EFo 65-85 53.5% » Confirmed tornadoes with minor damage are rated EFO. » These tornadoes can be strong enough to cause minor damage, such as broken tree branches and pulled-off gutters and siding. » An EFO tornado struck Shelby County, Alabama in March 2009, damaging a number of homes and trees in the area. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF1 86-110 31.6% » These tornadoes cause moderate damage, including stripped roofs, loss of doors and windows, and broken glass. Mobile homes might be overturned or badly damaged. » A series of EF1 tornadoes pummelled the region of Augusta, Wisconsin on April 11, 2011. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF2 111-135 10.7% » Considerable damage to well-constructed buildings. » Roofs torn off; trees uprooted; cars lifted off the ground. » An EF2 tornado in Aumsville, Oregon in December 2010 was the most severe tornado the state had experienced in 17 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF3 136-165 3.4% » Severe damage to natural and man-made structures. » Entire stories of houses destroyed; significant damage to malls and other large buildings. » Cars lifted and thrown; trains overturned. » An EF3 tornado in Suffolk, Virginia in April 2008 was responsible for 200 injuries, dozens of destroyed homes, and rampant gas leaks. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF4 166-200 0.7% » Extreme damage. » Houses and other buildings completely leveled. » Large objects thrown; small objects turned into missiles. The Good Friday tornado in St. Louis, Missouri on April 22, 2011, an EF4, was the strongest experienced in that region in 44 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF5 «0.1% 200+ » Total devastation. » Houses leveled and swept away from foundations. Steel-reinforced concrete structures severely damaged. » In 2007, an EF5 tornado utterly devastated Greensburg, Kansas. Around 95 percent of the city was destroyed; at least 13 people were killed and hundreds more injured. SOURCES: » http://www.usatoday.com » http://www.tropicalweather.net » http://www.huffingtonpost.com http://thesouthernnews.wordpress.com http://www.spc.noaa.gov » http://www.srh.noaa.gov » http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com » http://voices.washingtonpost.com » http://thelope.com UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGY OF mgrow the me. YORNADOES The destructive power of a tornado depends on its size and wind speed, as well as the length of its path. These things, in turn, are all determined by how much energy is contained within the tornado. Although the total energy of a tornado is quite low, it's also very concentrated; because of this energy density, tornadoes are the most powerful force in nature for their size. Below you will explore the comparative energy of different tornadoes and discover the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which measures the power of tornadoes. THE ENERGY OF A TORNADO The energy level of an average tornado is about 10,000 kilowatt-hours. Compared with a typical hurricane, which contains 10 billion kilowatt-hours (the same as a hydrogen bomb), this may seem unimpressive. The energy density, however, is at least 6 times greater in a tornado than in a hurricane, giving it a concentrated destructive power unlike any other in the natural world. 1 About 70% of all tornadoes are relatively weak, rated an EFO or EF1 on the tornado measurement scale. » These average tornadoes have wind Containing significant amounts of speeds of about 70-100 mph and are about 0.1 mile wide. energy, even these comparatively mild tornadoes can be tremendously destructive. Compared with human energy consumption, the average tornado contains: x1000 » Enough power to light 1,000 100-watt light bulbs for 4 days 100-watt light bulbs x 4 days » The equivalent of 6 barrels of oil » The equivalet of 300 gallons of jet fuel х 300 jet fuel »The equivalent of an average х10 household's electricity consumption for 10 months months 3 Larger tornadoes can be as much as 4 times larger and more powerful than those described above. EF3 TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA EF2 EF4 EF5 > The recent devastating tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was a rare EF5, over a mile wide and with an estimated wind speed of 205 mph. » This was just one of over 300 twisters that swept across the Midwest on April 26-27. » This unprecedented breakout of severe tornadoes caused at least 350 deaths and thousands of serious injuries, destroyed some 10,000 and businesses, and caused an estimated $5 billion in damage. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE Dr. T. Theodore Fujita first introduced The Fujita Scale in 1971 to measure the power of tornadoes in terms of intensity and area. The scale uses the level of damage and the height of the damaged structure from the ground to determine the power of the tornado. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE EFo EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 LESS DAMAGE TOTAL DEVASTATION » The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which was developed by a committee and first implemented in 2007, addresses these issues and provides a more standardized and accurate means of measuring tornadoes. » The EF Scale still uses a set of wind estimates based on damage, but it uses 3-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a standardized set of 6 levels of damage. » These estimates vary with the height and exposure of the structure in question. » The Degree of Damage (DOD) is based on a chart 28 of 28 Damage Indicators, which provide an estimated wind speed and the degree of damage that wind speed causes to a given type of structure. Damage Indicators SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EFo 65-85 53.5% » Confirmed tornadoes with minor damage are rated EFO. » These tornadoes can be strong enough to cause minor damage, such as broken tree branches and pulled-off gutters and siding. » An EFO tornado struck Shelby County, Alabama in March 2009, damaging a number of homes and trees in the area. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF1 86-110 31.6% » These tornadoes cause moderate damage, including stripped roofs, loss of doors and windows, and broken glass. Mobile homes might be overturned or badly damaged. » A series of EF1 tornadoes pummelled the region of Augusta, Wisconsin on April 11, 2011. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF2 111-135 10.7% » Considerable damage to well-constructed buildings. » Roofs torn off; trees uprooted; cars lifted off the ground. » An EF2 tornado in Aumsville, Oregon in December 2010 was the most severe tornado the state had experienced in 17 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF3 136-165 3.4% » Severe damage to natural and man-made structures. » Entire stories of houses destroyed; significant damage to malls and other large buildings. » Cars lifted and thrown; trains overturned. » An EF3 tornado in Suffolk, Virginia in April 2008 was responsible for 200 injuries, dozens of destroyed homes, and rampant gas leaks. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF4 166-200 0.7% » Extreme damage. » Houses and other buildings completely leveled. » Large objects thrown; small objects turned into missiles. The Good Friday tornado in St. Louis, Missouri on April 22, 2011, an EF4, was the strongest experienced in that region in 44 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF5 «0.1% 200+ » Total devastation. » Houses leveled and swept away from foundations. Steel-reinforced concrete structures severely damaged. » In 2007, an EF5 tornado utterly devastated Greensburg, Kansas. Around 95 percent of the city was destroyed; at least 13 people were killed and hundreds more injured. SOURCES: » http://www.usatoday.com » http://www.tropicalweather.net » http://www.huffingtonpost.com http://thesouthernnews.wordpress.com http://www.spc.noaa.gov » http://www.srh.noaa.gov » http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com » http://voices.washingtonpost.com » http://thelope.com UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGY OF mgrow the me. YORNADOES The destructive power of a tornado depends on its size and wind speed, as well as the length of its path. These things, in turn, are all determined by how much energy is contained within the tornado. Although the total energy of a tornado is quite low, it's also very concentrated; because of this energy density, tornadoes are the most powerful force in nature for their size. Below you will explore the comparative energy of different tornadoes and discover the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which measures the power of tornadoes. THE ENERGY OF A TORNADO The energy level of an average tornado is about 10,000 kilowatt-hours. Compared with a typical hurricane, which contains 10 billion kilowatt-hours (the same as a hydrogen bomb), this may seem unimpressive. The energy density, however, is at least 6 times greater in a tornado than in a hurricane, giving it a concentrated destructive power unlike any other in the natural world. 1 About 70% of all tornadoes are relatively weak, rated an EFO or EF1 on the tornado measurement scale. » These average tornadoes have wind Containing significant amounts of speeds of about 70-100 mph and are about 0.1 mile wide. energy, even these comparatively mild tornadoes can be tremendously destructive. Compared with human energy consumption, the average tornado contains: x1000 » Enough power to light 1,000 100-watt light bulbs for 4 days 100-watt light bulbs x 4 days » The equivalent of 6 barrels of oil » The equivalet of 300 gallons of jet fuel х 300 jet fuel »The equivalent of an average х10 household's electricity consumption for 10 months months 3 Larger tornadoes can be as much as 4 times larger and more powerful than those described above. EF3 TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA EF2 EF4 EF5 > The recent devastating tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was a rare EF5, over a mile wide and with an estimated wind speed of 205 mph. » This was just one of over 300 twisters that swept across the Midwest on April 26-27. » This unprecedented breakout of severe tornadoes caused at least 350 deaths and thousands of serious injuries, destroyed some 10,000 and businesses, and caused an estimated $5 billion in damage. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE Dr. T. Theodore Fujita first introduced The Fujita Scale in 1971 to measure the power of tornadoes in terms of intensity and area. The scale uses the level of damage and the height of the damaged structure from the ground to determine the power of the tornado. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE EFo EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 LESS DAMAGE TOTAL DEVASTATION » The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which was developed by a committee and first implemented in 2007, addresses these issues and provides a more standardized and accurate means of measuring tornadoes. » The EF Scale still uses a set of wind estimates based on damage, but it uses 3-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a standardized set of 6 levels of damage. » These estimates vary with the height and exposure of the structure in question. » The Degree of Damage (DOD) is based on a chart 28 of 28 Damage Indicators, which provide an estimated wind speed and the degree of damage that wind speed causes to a given type of structure. Damage Indicators SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EFo 65-85 53.5% » Confirmed tornadoes with minor damage are rated EFO. » These tornadoes can be strong enough to cause minor damage, such as broken tree branches and pulled-off gutters and siding. » An EFO tornado struck Shelby County, Alabama in March 2009, damaging a number of homes and trees in the area. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF1 86-110 31.6% » These tornadoes cause moderate damage, including stripped roofs, loss of doors and windows, and broken glass. Mobile homes might be overturned or badly damaged. » A series of EF1 tornadoes pummelled the region of Augusta, Wisconsin on April 11, 2011. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF2 111-135 10.7% » Considerable damage to well-constructed buildings. » Roofs torn off; trees uprooted; cars lifted off the ground. » An EF2 tornado in Aumsville, Oregon in December 2010 was the most severe tornado the state had experienced in 17 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF3 136-165 3.4% » Severe damage to natural and man-made structures. » Entire stories of houses destroyed; significant damage to malls and other large buildings. » Cars lifted and thrown; trains overturned. » An EF3 tornado in Suffolk, Virginia in April 2008 was responsible for 200 injuries, dozens of destroyed homes, and rampant gas leaks. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF4 166-200 0.7% » Extreme damage. » Houses and other buildings completely leveled. » Large objects thrown; small objects turned into missiles. The Good Friday tornado in St. Louis, Missouri on April 22, 2011, an EF4, was the strongest experienced in that region in 44 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF5 «0.1% 200+ » Total devastation. » Houses leveled and swept away from foundations. Steel-reinforced concrete structures severely damaged. » In 2007, an EF5 tornado utterly devastated Greensburg, Kansas. Around 95 percent of the city was destroyed; at least 13 people were killed and hundreds more injured. SOURCES: » http://www.usatoday.com » http://www.tropicalweather.net » http://www.huffingtonpost.com http://thesouthernnews.wordpress.com http://www.spc.noaa.gov » http://www.srh.noaa.gov » http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com » http://voices.washingtonpost.com » http://thelope.com UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGY OF mgrow the me. YORNADOES The destructive power of a tornado depends on its size and wind speed, as well as the length of its path. These things, in turn, are all determined by how much energy is contained within the tornado. Although the total energy of a tornado is quite low, it's also very concentrated; because of this energy density, tornadoes are the most powerful force in nature for their size. Below you will explore the comparative energy of different tornadoes and discover the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which measures the power of tornadoes. THE ENERGY OF A TORNADO The energy level of an average tornado is about 10,000 kilowatt-hours. Compared with a typical hurricane, which contains 10 billion kilowatt-hours (the same as a hydrogen bomb), this may seem unimpressive. The energy density, however, is at least 6 times greater in a tornado than in a hurricane, giving it a concentrated destructive power unlike any other in the natural world. 1 About 70% of all tornadoes are relatively weak, rated an EFO or EF1 on the tornado measurement scale. » These average tornadoes have wind Containing significant amounts of speeds of about 70-100 mph and are about 0.1 mile wide. energy, even these comparatively mild tornadoes can be tremendously destructive. Compared with human energy consumption, the average tornado contains: x1000 » Enough power to light 1,000 100-watt light bulbs for 4 days 100-watt light bulbs x 4 days » The equivalent of 6 barrels of oil » The equivalet of 300 gallons of jet fuel х 300 jet fuel »The equivalent of an average х10 household's electricity consumption for 10 months months 3 Larger tornadoes can be as much as 4 times larger and more powerful than those described above. EF3 TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA EF2 EF4 EF5 > The recent devastating tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was a rare EF5, over a mile wide and with an estimated wind speed of 205 mph. » This was just one of over 300 twisters that swept across the Midwest on April 26-27. » This unprecedented breakout of severe tornadoes caused at least 350 deaths and thousands of serious injuries, destroyed some 10,000 and businesses, and caused an estimated $5 billion in damage. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE Dr. T. Theodore Fujita first introduced The Fujita Scale in 1971 to measure the power of tornadoes in terms of intensity and area. The scale uses the level of damage and the height of the damaged structure from the ground to determine the power of the tornado. THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE EFo EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 LESS DAMAGE TOTAL DEVASTATION » The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which was developed by a committee and first implemented in 2007, addresses these issues and provides a more standardized and accurate means of measuring tornadoes. » The EF Scale still uses a set of wind estimates based on damage, but it uses 3-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a standardized set of 6 levels of damage. » These estimates vary with the height and exposure of the structure in question. » The Degree of Damage (DOD) is based on a chart 28 of 28 Damage Indicators, which provide an estimated wind speed and the degree of damage that wind speed causes to a given type of structure. Damage Indicators SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EFo 65-85 53.5% » Confirmed tornadoes with minor damage are rated EFO. » These tornadoes can be strong enough to cause minor damage, such as broken tree branches and pulled-off gutters and siding. » An EFO tornado struck Shelby County, Alabama in March 2009, damaging a number of homes and trees in the area. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF1 86-110 31.6% » These tornadoes cause moderate damage, including stripped roofs, loss of doors and windows, and broken glass. Mobile homes might be overturned or badly damaged. » A series of EF1 tornadoes pummelled the region of Augusta, Wisconsin on April 11, 2011. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF2 111-135 10.7% » Considerable damage to well-constructed buildings. » Roofs torn off; trees uprooted; cars lifted off the ground. » An EF2 tornado in Aumsville, Oregon in December 2010 was the most severe tornado the state had experienced in 17 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF3 136-165 3.4% » Severe damage to natural and man-made structures. » Entire stories of houses destroyed; significant damage to malls and other large buildings. » Cars lifted and thrown; trains overturned. » An EF3 tornado in Suffolk, Virginia in April 2008 was responsible for 200 injuries, dozens of destroyed homes, and rampant gas leaks. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF4 166-200 0.7% » Extreme damage. » Houses and other buildings completely leveled. » Large objects thrown; small objects turned into missiles. The Good Friday tornado in St. Louis, Missouri on April 22, 2011, an EF4, was the strongest experienced in that region in 44 years. SCALE WIND SPEED (ESTIMATED MPH) RELATIVE FREQUENCY EF5 «0.1% 200+ » Total devastation. » Houses leveled and swept away from foundations. Steel-reinforced concrete structures severely damaged. » In 2007, an EF5 tornado utterly devastated Greensburg, Kansas. Around 95 percent of the city was destroyed; at least 13 people were killed and hundreds more injured. SOURCES: » http://www.usatoday.com » http://www.tropicalweather.net » http://www.huffingtonpost.com http://thesouthernnews.wordpress.com http://www.spc.noaa.gov » http://www.srh.noaa.gov » http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com » http://voices.washingtonpost.com » http://thelope.com

Understanding the Energy of Tornadoes

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This infographic provides detailed information on Tornadoes. It explains that the amount of energy and the density of the energy are what causes a tornado to be powerful. It also describes, using pict...

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