Starting this year, the NOAA National Weather Service is upgrading the old Fujita (F) tornado rating system to Enhanced Fujita (EF).
What’s this mean? I just means that they are taking more factors into how they rate a tornado.
There will still be the 1-5 ratings, but tornadoes may be rated higher or lower than in previous years due to the amount damage they produce.
It’s unclear if they’ll call tornadoes EF4’s or if they’ll stick the the common F4 saying. I’m hoping for the good old F4 as that’s easier for most to comprehend. And, when seconds count, you don’t want people wondering what a EF4 tornado is.
The upgraded Fujita rating system is much like the upgraded wind chill factor put in place a few years back. As we continue to evolve and learn more about the weather, we’ll continue to evolve the methods that we use rate the weather too.
People won’t be wasting valuable seconds before a tornado hits wondering what an EF4 tornado is. Why? The ratings are given AFTER a tornado has passed and the destruction has already been done.
Curtis – If a tornado is coming, they will say how big it is before it gets there. That is if they know about it. 🙂
Size matters very little. The skinniest tornado could be an EF5 while a mile wide tornado could be an EF0. Point is, early warning is the key when it comes to surviving a tornado. Living in Tornado Alley makes this all the more a personal subject for myself.
Very true Curtis.