Tornado question?
What tornado ranking on the EF scale, at minimum, would be able to damage the walls of a brick house? I think I have seen photos of EF2s causing slight damage, though I am not certain.
Tagged with: brick house • photos • Tornado
Filed under: Tornado
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Tornadoes are rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale from EF-0 to EF-5.
EF-0 65-85 mph Light damage will occur. Roofs partially missing, trees uprooted, very weak structures demolished.
EF-1 86–110 mph Extensive roof damage, cars tossed, outside walls can collapse.
EF-2 111–135 mph Weak homes can be severely damaged, roofs missing, cars tossed for yards.
EF-3 136–165 mph Entire stories of well-constructed houses destroyed; severe damage to large buildings such as shopping malls; trains overturned; trees debarked; heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown; structures with weak foundations blown away some distance.
EF-4 166–200 mph Well-constructed houses and whole frame houses completely leveled; cars thrown and small missiles generated.
EF-5 >200 mph Strong frame houses leveled off foundations and swept away; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air for many yards, high-rise buildings have significant structural deformation. Not likely to survive if not underground.
For local weather info. From the National Weather Service.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov
Storm Prediction center (responsible for issuing severe thunderstorm and tornado watches)
http://www.spc.noaa.gov
Tornado info
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/
National severe storms laboratory. (more info)
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov
I’d say 3-4, but definately 4.
F3 most likely. F1’s and F0’s aren’t nothing. I’ve been in Illinois where we were at a park and had to outrun (like on Twister) an F3. It was as scary as hell. I was only 13, but it came sooooo quick and left faster. My cousin, sister, and I got between a school building and a firestation. Did a little damage to a pavalion and a few houses around although I can’t recall whether or not they were brick.
EF3 Without a doubt. I have seen many homes built from brick leveled by EF3 tornadoes. One was a very close friend in which he and his family died. Another was about 3-4 weeks ago in Jasper Tennessee. Several brick homes were scattered like toothpicks in an EF3 with a damage path 3/8Th’s of a mile wide and 10.3 miles long. I live just across the Mountain from Jasper and was on the Mountain the night of the storm. The funnel cloud was rain wrapped and could not be seen but it could damn sure be heard. As well the power lines and substation that was hit was a truly scary sight. I also saw an EF2 first hand when it passed within 60ft of my home in Gainesville Ga. in 1994. The funnel cloud was not fully on the ground only the beginning tendrils. It was picking up rocks about the size of your fist and tossing them like a kid by a pond, and the silence that came with it can not be put into words except for (Silent as the grave). I would say that was the one scariest moment in my life, but it was really interesting.