The Fujita scale rates tornadoes from F0-F5, what did the Fujita scale rate the tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011?

dthompsen

The recent Joplin, Missouri tornado was rated as an F5 on the Fujita scale. http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles/150439/20110523/worst-tornadoes-in-u-s-history-deadliest-costliest.htm May 23 11, 1:54 PM

honeybee4

It appears to be an EF-4 on the Fujita Scale according to this report. http://www.examiner.com/natural-disasters-in-national/joplin-missouri-becomes-ground-zero-for-severe-weather-as-tornado-kills-scores May 23 11, 2:07 PM

smartax55

I concur with honeybee4, according to his/her source and muliple news and weather outlets, national and local (I am from Kansas City). Charley May 23 11, 3:49 PM

kufan888

I believe that F-5 is a rating given to the tornado itself based on size and windspeed while an EF-5 rating would be given based on the the magnitude of the damage so both dthompsen and honeybee could be correct. The scales are different for each one. An F5 is 261+ mph winds and an EF5 is 200+. I think just recently the Enhanced Fujita scale has become more accepted (2007). In any case its especially difficult to determine an EF4 from an EF5 because structures are flattened in both cases. There actually is no official report yet- Just a preliminary one. (Also from the Kansas City area). -Abigail May 23 11, 6:42 PM

Spaudrey

I was under the impression that EF stood for "Estimated Fujita", I would always hear it mentioned within a day of the storm, so I thought they were waiting for full meteorological results. It wasn't til recently that I found out it is "Enhanced". That's the second time that got me, I thought BCE stood for "before Christ, estimated", not "before Common Era". Estimated is slowly becoming my least favorite word. Getting back to topic, the wind speeds suggested by the original Fujita scales for F5 tornadoes were 61 MPH (97 k/ph) faster than the F5's on the Enhanced chart. But with greater technology to figure speeds out, there still may not be as many EF5's as there were F5's by comparison. May 24 11, 6:52 AM