Last week the National Weather Service launched its new scale for measuring tornado wind speed and damage. Good timing, I thought, as torrential rain and wind pummeled our area here in North Florida. Friday the new Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale got its first workout in Central Florida where suspected tornadoes from the same storm system killed at least 14 and destroyed dozens of homes overnight. Why the new scale? Seems the old scale was solely based on damage caused by a tornado, didn't take into account different types of structures, and overestimated the wind speeds of tornadoes. A lot has been learned since the old scale was devised. The new EF Scale, while still rating tornadoes on a scale from zero to five, now takes into account additional variables to provide a more accurate indication of tornado strength. That means the scale is less subjective and will allow for better wind-speed estimates. To learn more about the new EF Scale, click the link below.
