The difference between an F1 and F5 tornado is significant in both size and capability to inflict damage.
Severe thunderstorms spawn tornadoes, and to measure the severity of these natural wonders, the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale was introduced in 1971 by Theodore Fujita. This scale is used throughout the world, and it rates a tornado from an F0, the weakest, to F5, the strongest.
Wind Speed
The standard surface wind speed associated with an F1 tornado can range from 73 to 112 mph with a three-second wind gust of 79 to 117 mph. Wind speeds for an F5 tornado are significantly faster. The standard surface wind speed for an F5 tornado is 261 to 318 mph with a three-second gust speed of 262 to 317 mph.
Using the Operational Enhanced F Scale to determine tornado damage, the three-second gust speed of a F1 tornado is 86 to 110 mph. The Operational Enhanced F Scale for an F5 tornado states that the three-second gust exceeds 200 mph.
Damage Amount
The damage associated with an F1 tornado is classified as moderate. The F Scale reports a typical F1 tornado is powerful enough to peel off roofs, move cars and trucks off roads and remove a mobile home from its foundation. An F5 tornado can cause tremendous damage. An F5 tornado is strong enough to tear buildings from their foundations, carry an automobile-sized object 109 yards and debark trees.
Tornado Size
A study performed by the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma, found that the average F1 tornado features a width less than 109 yards while Impact Forecasting reports the average width of an F1 tornado is 18 to 55 yards. The width of an F5 tornado is significantly larger. According to Impact Forecasting in a report titled "United States Tornado History," an F5 tornado features an average width of 1 to 3.1 miles.
Considerations
The damage difference between an F1 and F5 tornado is striking, but because of the unpredictability of tornadoes, the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale should only be used as an estimate of potential damage. All figures laid out in this article are averages, and are not to be assumed as typical.
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