Tornados and Mitigation

Copy this chart into your journal: Scale Damage Examples F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5

Enhanced Fujita Scale Level Damage Examples F0 Light F1 Moderate F2 Some damaged chimneys Broken branches F1 Moderate Cars blown, shingles blown off, mobile homes flipped F2 Considerable Mobile homes demolished, trees snapped or uprooted, roofs blown off, cars uplifted F3 Severe Trains overturned, most trees uprooted, walls destroyed F4 Devastating Well-constructed homes destroyed, large objects thrown F5 Incredible Cars thrown 100+meters, strong building swept away

Tornado Simulator

Let’s rate some tornado damage using the Fujita Scale! Number your paper from 1-5. *Handout

The house on the left with its roof still largely intact would receive an F1 rating. The house on the right depicts a classic F2 level of damage: its roof is largely gone but its walls remain standing. Corresponding tornado wind speed: 113-157 mph  Arlington, Texas March 29, 2000

This tornado left virtually nothing standing in any house on the block, though the debris is concentrated enough that an F5 rating would be too high. F4 Corresponding tornado wind speed: 207-260 mph  Moore, Oklahoma May 3, 1999

Winds dug up these shallow-rooted trees and scattered them like matchsticks. F1 Corresponding tornado wind speed: 73-112 mph  Near Pierce City, Missouri May 5, 2003

From lower right to upper right moving clockwise around the cul-de-sac, the damage to these houses would receive the following ratings: F0, F2, F3, F2, F1. The overall rating for this damage would thus be F3. Corresponding tornado wind speed: 158-206 mph  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 8, 2003

An extremely intense tornado leveled these houses, leaving the foundation of the house in the middle background swept clean. F5 Corresponding tornado wind speed: 261-318 mph  Bridge Creek, Oklahoma May 3, 1999

How do we protect ourselves from tornadoes? Meteorologists use doppler radar to track storms so they can alert the public. (tv/radio/phones/sirens) We educate the public on how to prepare and shelter in the case of a tornado. (drills/teach it in schools) Local and federal governments set up rescue, relief and recovery plans.

Rescue Relief Recovery 1Rescue: Fire & Police departments, gas & electric companies search buildings for survivors and dead, turn off gas and electric power. 3Recovery: Local governments rebuild roads/schools/homes 2Relief: Army/DRAW/Salvation Army/Red Cross/Churches (Charities)provide basic needs like food/shelter, help people recover their valuables and clean up their property.

How to Survive a Tornado

How to Survive a Tornado if You're in a Car