Tornado Alley, where the skies are grey and the winds are mean. Here's a scale of terror to measure the terror of tornadoes:
EF0: The "Oh No, Not a Tornado" Scale
A weak tornado that will make you go "oh no, not a tornado" but really, it's just a minor inconvenience.
- Wind speeds of 65-70 mph (105-113 km/h)
- Damage to a single trailer home
- Insurance claims: "I was just having a bad hair day"
EF1: The "Tornado? What Tornado?" Scale
A moderate tornado that will make you go "huh, is that a tornado?" but really, it's a big deal.
- Wind speeds of 70-86 mph (113-140 km/h)
- Damage to a small strip mall
- Insurance claims: "I was just out for a walk and it followed me home"
EF2: The "Tornado Party" Scale
A strong tornado that will make you go "whoa, that's a party!" but really, it's a nightmare.
- Wind speeds of 86-100 mph (140-161 km/h)
- Damage to several city blocks
- Insurance claims: "I was just trying to get some tornado-themed party hats"
EF3: The "Tornado of Doom" Scale
An intense tornado that will make you go "we're all going to die" but really, it's just a really big storm.
- Wind speeds of 100-110 mph (161-177 km/h)
- Damage to entire neighborhoods
- Insurance claims: "I was just trying to find my cat, Mr. Whiskers"
EF4: The "Tornado of Terror" Scale
A massive tornado that will make you go "we're all doomed, I tell ya" but really, it's just a really, really big storm.
- Wind speeds of 110-135 mph (177-217 km/h)
- Damage to entire cities
- Insurance claims: "I was just trying to find my therapist, Dr. Doom"
EF5: The "Tornado of Terror-Tanic" Scale
A catastrophic tornado that will make you go "we're all doomed, doomed, I tell ya" but really, it's just a really, really, really big storm.
- Wind speeds of 135+ mph (217+ km/h)
- Damage to entire countries
- Insurance claims: "I was just trying to find my existential crisis, Dr. Doomface"
Learn more about Sinkholes of Shame: Where Tornadoes Go to Die | Meet the Supercells of Mayhem: The Tornadoes That Will Haunt Your Dreams