International Fujita scale

"IF2-" redirects here. Not to be confused with IF2.

The International Fujita scale (abbreviated as IF-Scale) rates the intensity of tornadoes and other wind events based on the severity of the damage they cause.[1] It is used by the European Severe Storms Laboratory (ESSL) and various other organizations including Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) and State Meteorological Agency (AEMET). The scale is intended to be analogous to the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita scales, while being more applicable internationally by accounting for factors such as differences in building codes.

In 2018, the first draft version of the IF-scale, version 0.10 was published. This version was based on a 12-step rating scale. Over the next few years, dozens of tornadoes would be rated on this version of the scale. Most notably, the 2021 South Moravia tornado received a rating (IF4) and full damage survey on the IF-scale conducted by ESSL, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and four other organizations.[2] On May 6, 2023, version 0.99.9d was published, which changed it to a 9-step rating scale.[3] In late July 2023, the first official version of the IF scale was published.[4]

  1. ^ "The International Fujita (IF) Scale Tornado and Wind Damage Assessment Guide" (PDF). ESSL.org. European Severe Storms Laboratory. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. ^ Tomás Púcik; David Rúva; Miroslav Singer; Miloslav Stanëk; Pieter Groenemeijer (23 June 2022). "Damage Survey of the Violent Tornado in Southeast Czechia on 24 June 2021" (PDF). European Severe Storms Laboratory. pp. 1–31. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  3. ^ "The International Fujita (IF) Scale" (PDF). European Severe Storms Laboratory. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  4. ^ Pieter Groenemeijer (ESSL); Lothar Bock (DWD); Juan de Dios Soriano (AEMet); Maciej Dutkiewicz (Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology); Delia Gutiérrez-Rubio (AEMet); Alois M. Holzer (ESSL); Martin Hubrig; Rainer Kaltenberger; Thilo Kühne (ESSL); Mortimer Müller (Universität für Bodenkultur); Bas van der Ploeg; Tomáš Púčik (ESSL); Thomas Schreiner (ESSL); Miroslav Šinger (SHMI); Gabriel Strommer (ESSL); Andi Xhelaj (University of Genova) (30 July 2023). "The International Fujita (IF) Scale" (PDF). European Severe Storms Laboratory. Retrieved 30 July 2023.