Tornado intensity is reported in accordance with which scale?

Study for the Criminal Justice 439 – Homeland Security Exam. Engage with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with explanations. Prepare for your exam with confidence!

Tornado intensity is reported using the Enhanced Fujita-Pearson scale, which is a system specifically designed to assess the damage caused by tornadoes and tie that damage to estimated wind speeds. This scale ranges from EF0, which indicates minimal damage, to EF5, which represents devastating damage with wind speeds over 200 miles per hour.

The Enhanced Fujita scale improves upon the original Fujita scale by providing more detailed classifications based on a wider range of structures and types of damage. It allows meteorologists and emergency responders to better understand the potential impact of a tornado, contributing to public safety and preparedness efforts.

In contrast, the Richter scale is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes, the Saffir-Simpson scale classifies hurricanes based on their wind speed and potential damage, and the Beaufort scale measures wind speeds based on observed sea conditions. These scales are all important in their respective areas of meteorology but do not pertain to tornado intensity specifically.

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