I hate updates. It seems that every time I get on my computer, I don’t have the right version of Firefox, Java, Adobe Reader or anything else for that matter. My computer and all these upgrades makes me feel inadequate every time I turn it on; it is as if the internet and all of technology is screaming “YOU AREN’T UPDATED YOU LOSER!”

Remember the famous line from the movie Twister?

“Is there an F5? What would that be like…?”

The room went quiet and after a few glances at each other, one of the storm chasers whispered…”The finger of God.”

Pretty menacing. It is indeed our greatest fear here in Nebraska isn’t it? Always has been, but now we have to change a little of our understanding.

As I travel and present programs around the country, it seems a lot of folks are still using the "old version" of tornadoes.

We don’t get F5’s anymore. We don’t even get F1’s. Why? Well, in February of 2007, like Microsoft software, a new version of tornadoes came out.  The EF scale, or “The Enhanced Fujita Scale”.

The original Fujita scale was introduced in 1971 as a way to rate the intensity of a tornado based on the amount of damage done to man-made structures and vegetation. It was developed by Tetsuya Fujita.

Because many of the factors used by the Fujita scale were subjective to WHERE the tornado had chosen to go (populated area, rural area, field, road, etc) a new scale was introduced.  This new scale is called the Enhanced Fujita Scale or EF Scale and went into effect on February 1, 2007.  The Enhanced Fujita Scale better reflects tornado damage in relation to wind speeds. 

The EF Scale also introduced 28 damage indicators to reflect the types of structures or vegetation that were damaged.

EF-0 category tornadoes have wind speeds of 65-85 mph and are known to have caused light damage often from fallen trees and branches.   A tornado that did not cause any confirmed damaged is always rated an EF-0.

EF-1 category tornadoes have wind speeds of 86-110 mph and are known to have caused moderate damage.  This could include mobile homes being overturned and damage to rooftops.

EF-2 category tornadoes have wind speeds of 111-135 mph and are known to have caused considerable damage.  An EF-2 tornado is powerful enough to lift a car off the ground and destroy some small structures.

EF-3 category tornadoes have wind speeds of 136–165 mph and are known to have caused severe damage.  At this intensity level well constructed homes will be destroyed and larger buildings will suffer considerable damage.

EF-4 category tornadoes have wind speeds of 166–200 mph and are known to have caused devastating damage.  At this level even well constructed homes can be completely leveled.  Cars can also be picked up off of the ground and thrown great distances.

EF-5 category tornadoes have wind speeds of over 200 mph and are known to have caused incredible damage.   At this level entire neighborhoods might be swept away.

You can see how this new scale takes into account the damage done to a cornfield or an old barn in relation to a tornado that damages a large city.

Since the Enhanced Fujita scale went into effect in 2007 there has only been one recorded EF-5 tornado.  That tornado occurred in Greensburg, Kansas on May 4, 2007.  We hope to not see another one.

Now that you have been updated to the new version, you may proceed with your internet browsing. Remember: there’s always more weather on KRVN.com!