Hurricane Dorian

DSG2003Mach1

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Wait, so an EF5 "only" has to break 200mph, now?

Pff....weak.

Anyhow, all you Florida folks, stay as safe as you can. Don't wanna read any threads on here about people we lost.

Coastal guys aren’t outta the woods yet but looks everyone towards the center to west coast should be ok.
 

earico

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41122.jpeg
 

L8APEX

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Wait, so an EF5 "only" has to break 200mph, now?

Pff....weak.

Anyhow, all you Florida folks, stay as safe as you can. Don't wanna read any threads on here about people we lost.

Yep and last year 2018 we went without a single "Violent" tornado for the first time since 1950
Violent Tornadoes are EF4 or EF5, basically winds over 166mph. Statistically they make less than 2% of all tornadoes.
 

chagan02

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We don't use the Fujita scale anymore.
We moved to the enhanced Fujita scale in '07 and it better accounts for variations in damage due to various building materials and construction methods.
The SPC in Norman, OK also has a dedicated team that visits, accesses, surveys and eventually rates all the tornado damage nationwide. Keeps the data consistent.


EF0 65–85 mph Light damage
EF1 86–110 mph Moderate damage
EF2 111–135 mph Considerable damage
EF3 136–165 mph Severe damage
EF4 166–200 mph Devastating damage
EF5 >200 mph Incredible damage

The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale)

I've seen what <260mph wind could do,
and <200.

At 200 everything is destroyed but there are still piles of debris. (Greensburg '07 EF5)
At 260, it's wiped clean, just foundations. Even scoured asphalt roads (Andover 4-26-'91 F5)

Sent from my Note9

Actually that is inaccurate. Local WFOs survey tornado damage in their CWAs. SPC does nothing when it comes to rating Tors.

As for the EF scale, don’t get hung up on the wind speeds. The wind speeds are actually estimated from “Degree of Damage (DOD)” indicators. Damage is surveyed with ratings applied taking into account structure type and construction, as you stated. Studies done at Texas Tech proved that even most well built structures cannot survive above 200mph, thus no real need for any higher categories.


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Kiohtee

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I drove down to Mustang Week Sunday evening just to leave three hours after getting there, when the governor announced mandatory evacuation, because I didn't care to be stuck in the inevitable traffic. Oh well. Still have most of the week off and thinking about riding out to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge for Mustang Week 2.0/Tail of the Dragon.
 

VegasMichael

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Watching the Weather Channel as I am still sick and off work and they are broadcasting live from Daytona. Looks like Northeast Florida is going to be spared the wrath of Dorian.
 

L8APEX

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Actually that is inaccurate. Local WFOs survey tornado damage in their CWAs. SPC does nothing when it comes to rating Tors.

As for the EF scale, don’t get hung up on the wind speeds. The wind speeds are actually estimated from “Degree of Damage (DOD)” indicators. Damage is surveyed with ratings applied taking into account structure type and construction, as you stated. Studies done at Texas Tech proved that even most well built structures cannot survive above 200mph, thus no real need for any higher categories.


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Thanks for the clarification!
I know that was the way it was with tornados in the past, but for some odd reason I was thinking that part of what they did in the transition to the Enhanced Fujita scale was to have the same team of people look at damage and give estimates of all the tornadoes to make the data a bit more consistent, but I was mistaken. I'm just trying to figure out where I may have heard it?

Edit- after some reading it looks like with violent tornadoes and especially outbreaks, the NWS often sends a "highly experienced survey teams", wind engineers etc. Somehow I applied that to all tornadoes.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weat...ated-using-the-enhanced-fujita-scale/70001482

RIP mustang week 2019
 

Coosawjack

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While we're of Categories of storms.....how do you suppose they establish (estimate) Hurricane wind speeds??:confused:
 

chagan02

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Thanks for the clarification!
I know that was the way it was with tornados in the past, but for some odd reason I was thinking that part of what they did in the transition to the Enhanced Fujita scale was to have the same team of people look at damage and give estimates of all the tornadoes to make the data a bit more consistent, but I was mistaken. I'm just trying to figure out where I may have heard it?

Edit- after some reading it looks like with violent tornadoes and especially outbreaks, the NWS often sends a "highly experienced survey teams", wind engineers etc. Somehow I applied that to all tornadoes.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weat...ated-using-the-enhanced-fujita-scale/70001482

RIP mustang week 2019

Yeah that is true, we still send WFO reps out, but generally if it’s looking like an EF5 we can opt to call in a third party from HQ or SPC. Doesn’t always happen though. Depends on the workload.


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chagan02

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You want to talk about some psycho mofos.....that's those dudes.

They use a “dropsonde” which is a device very similar to a “radiosonde” (used on weather balloons). The fly atop the eyewall and drop the device from the plane, which transmits vital weather data and GPS positioning. Using that GPS they can calculate wind speed and direction.


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