The original F-scale did not take these details into account. For each damage indicator, there are 8 degrees of damage ranging from the beginning of visible damage to complete destruction of the damage indicator. The EF-Scale takes into account more variables than the original Fujita Scale (F-Scale) when assigning a wind speed rating to a tornado, incorporating 28 damage indicators such as building type, structures and trees. An “Enhanced Fujita Scale” was implemented by the National Weather Service in 2007 to rate tornadoes in a more consistent and accurate manner. From this information, we can estimate the wind speeds.

Watch this Youtube video for a great explanation! How is tornado strength rated? To determine the strength of a tornado, experts examine the damage it caused. A tornado warning indicates that you should ACT NOW to find safe shelter! A warning can cover parts of counties or several counties in the path of danger. This means a tornado has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar and there is a serious threat to life and property to those in the path of the tornado. Watch and prepare for severe weather and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio to know when warnings are issued.Ī Tornado WARNING is issued by your local NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office meteorologists who watch the weather 24/7 over a designated area. A watch can cover parts of a state or several states. for weather conditions that are favorable for tornadoes and severe weather. What is the difference between a Tornado WATCH and a Tornado WARNING? A Tornado WATCH is issued by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center meteorologists who watch the weather 24/7 across the entire U.S.

Tornadoes can also happen at any time of day or night, but most tornadoes occur between 4–9 p.m. But, remember, tornadoes can happen at any time of year. In the northern Plains and upper Midwest (North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota), tornado season is in June or July. On the Gulf coast, it is earlier in the spring. The peak “tornado season” for the southern Plains (e.g., Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas) is from May into early June. When are tornadoes most likely? Tornado season usually refers to the time of year the U.S. Please remember, violent tornadoes do happen outside “Tornado Alley” every year. Tornadoes can occur and have been reported in all fifty states! tornado threat shifts from the Southeast in the cooler months of the year, toward the southern and central Plains in May and June, and the northern Plains and Midwest during early summer. However, the idea of a “tornado alley” can be misleading. Various “Tornado Alley” maps look different because tornado occurrence can be measured many ways: by all tornadoes, tornado county-segments, strong and violent tornadoes only, and databases with different time periods.

Where is Tornado Alley? Tornado Alley is a nickname invented by the media to refer to a broad area of relatively high tornado occurrence in the central United States. Plus, tornado spotting and reporting methods have changed a lot over the last several decades, which means that we are observing more tornadoes that actually happen. Since official tornado records only date back to 1950, we do not know the actual average number of tornadoes that occur each year. each year? About 1,200 tornadoes hit the U.S. Two of the highest concentrations of tornadoes outside the U.S. Even New Zealand reports about 20 tornadoes each year. Where do tornadoes occur? Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, including Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. What we do: Read more about NSSL's tornado research here. Tornadoes can be among the most violent phenomena of all atmospheric storms we experience. Because wind is invisible, it is hard to see a tornado unless it forms a condensation funnel made up of water droplets, dust and debris. Watch on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel» What is a tornado? A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.

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