Damage to the Kessler Theater resulting from the 1957 Dallas tornado.
Damage to the
Kessler Theater resulting from the 1957 Dallas tornado.
(Based on a
subjective, but expert and careful, assessment of damage -- useful
only when a tornado
strikes where property damage can occur. Wind
speeds are fastest quarter mile estimates.)
F0:
Gale
40-72 mph Chimney
damage, tree branches broken.
F1:
Moderate
73-112 mph The lower limit is the
beginning of hurricane wind speed. Mobile homes pushed off
foundations or overturned.
F2:
Significant
113-157 mph Considerable damage. Mobile homes
demolished. Trees uprooted. Light object missiles
generated.
F3: Severe
158-205 mph Roofs and walls torn down. Trains
overturned. Cars thrown.
F4:
Devastating
207-260 mph Well-constructed walls
leveled.
F5: (speaks for itself)
261-318 mph Homes lifted off foundations and
carried considerable distances. Autos thrown as far as
100 meters. Trees debarked.
Steel
reinforced concrete structures badly damaged.
F-6
(reserved in case something worse than an F5 turns up some day)
NOTE: THE FUJITA-PEARSON SCALE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REVISED. The main effect has been to raise the wind speeds for categories 0 and 1, and lower the wind speeds for categories 2 - 5. The new system now is referred to as the Enhanced Fujita, or EF, Scale. See the Links page for more information. The 1957 Dallas Tornado remains a category 3 (EF3).
Last updated 30 April, 2008