A typical tornado likely has peak winds in the range of 70-100 miles per hour, capable of causing EF0 to EF1 damage. The tornadoes that cause major damage usually have peak winds of at least 140 miles per hour and are in the strongest 5% of tornadoes.
Wind speeds in a tornado can vary widley. Very weak tornado produce winds of about 65 mph. The most viiolent can have winds over 300 mph. Lower wind speeds are more common.
No, tornadoes are formed by powerful rotating updrafts within severe thunderstorms, typically with wind speeds much greater than 10-20mph. Wind speeds of 10-20mph are not strong enough to create the necessary conditions for a tornado to form.
Wind speeds inside of a tornado can vary greatly, with the most intense tornadoes having wind speeds exceeding 200 mph (322 km/h). The wind speeds near the center of the tornado, known as the eyewall, are typically the strongest, while the winds may be more variable toward the tornado's outer edges.
Scientists use the severity of damage that a tornado causes to estimate wind speed.
40-72 mph
A tornado with the fastest known wind speeds would be classified as an EF5 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. EF5 tornadoes have estimated wind speeds of over 200 mph (322 km/h) and cause extreme damage.
In rare cases wind speeds in a tornado can exceed 300 mph (480 km/h).
No. The highest wind speeds in a tornado are estimated to be a little over 300 mph (480 km/h).
depends on size of the tornado anywhere from 65 to over 300 mph.
depends on size of the tornado anywhere from 65 to over 300 mph.
Estimated wind speeds for an F1 tornado on the original Fujita Scale are 73-112 mph. These were found to be inaccurate, though, and were adjusted to 86-110 mph for an EF1 tornado.
There is no solidly set minimum wind speed for a tornado. The Enhanced Fujita scale starts an EF0 at 65 mph, but tornadoes have occurred with estimated winds lower than that. Tornadoes are defined by the amnner in which the air moves rather than the wind speed. A tornado is a rotating vortex of strong wind that onnects to both the ground and the cloud base.