Adjust the tornado funnel width and core pressure difference in the simulation, click the "Go" button and observe the different types of wind damage tornadoes can produce.
The core pressure difference refers to air pressure at the center of the funnel compared to the surrounding air.
All tornadoes, and most other severe local windstorms, are assigned a single number from the enhanced Fujita Scale according to the most intense damage caused by the storm.
Here is a breakdown of the Fujita (F) scale:
- EF0 (weak): 65-85 mph, light damage.
- EF1 (weak): 86-110 mph, moderate damage.
- EF2 (strong): 111-135 mph, considerable damage.
- EF3 (strong): 136-165 mph, severe damage.
- EF4 (violent): 166-199 mph, devastating damage.
- EF5 (violent): 200-230 mph, (rare) incredible damage.
This applet is Copyright © 2011 by the American Meteorological Society.
This applet was developed by Ira Geer (AMS), Robert Weinbeck (AMS), and Tom Whittaker (University of Wisconsin-Madison).
