What scale is used to rate tornado intensity in the United States?

The Enhanced Fujita Scale is used to rate tornado intensity in the United States. Meteorologists assign an EF rating from EF0 through EF5 after surveying the damage caused by a tornado.

The scale replaced the original Fujita Scale in the United States on 1 February 2007. It was designed by meteorologists and engineers to connect observed damage more consistently with estimated wind speeds, while accounting for differences in building quality and construction materials.

Despite its wind-speed ranges, the EF Scale is fundamentally a damage-based system. Survey teams examine specific damage indicators—such as homes, schools, trees, or utility poles—and compare the observed destruction with defined degrees of damage. A tornado crossing an empty field may be difficult to rate because it leaves little evidence.

EF0 and EF1 are generally grouped as weak tornadoes, EF2 and EF3 as strong, and EF4 and EF5 as violent. The older Fujita Scale remains relevant for historical tornadoes, but modern U.S. ratings use the Enhanced Fujita system. The Saffir–Simpson scale, by contrast, rates hurricanes rather than tornadoes.