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What is the Fujita and Pearson Tornado Scale?

The Fujita and Pearson Tornado Scale, otherwise known as the Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity or simply the "Fujita Scale," categorizes tornadoes by their wind speed and the severity of damage they created. It also takes into account a tornado's path length and width. The Fujita scale places tornadoes into groups ranging from F0 (very weak) to F6 (inconceivable).

The Fujita Scale was created in the late 1960s by T. Theodore Fujita, a meteorology professor at the University of Chicago, and Allen Pearson, former director of the National Severe Storm Forecast Center.

F0—Light damage: damage to trees, billboards, and chimneys.

F1—Moderate damage: mobile homes pushed off their foundations and cars pushed off roads.

F2—Considerable damage: roofs torn off, mobile homes demolished, and large trees uprooted.

F3—Severe damage: even...

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