While researching for the most powerful hurricane. I came across this. It caught my eye because I've always heard of an F-5 tornado. But I'd never heard of an F-6 or higher.
F0 - GALE
With winds of less than 73 miles per hour (116 kph), F0 tornadoes are called "gale tornadoes" and cause some damage to chimneys, damage sign boards, and break branches off of trees and topple shallow-rooted trees.
F1 - MODERATE
With winds from 73 to 112 mph (117-180 kph), F1 tornadoes are called "moderate tornadoes." They peel surfaces off of roofs, push mobile homes off of their foundations or even overturn them, and push cars off of the road. F0 and F1 tornadoes are considered weak; 74% of all measured tornadoes from 1950 to 1994 are weak.
F2 - SIGNIFICANT
With winds from 113-157 mph (181-253 kph), F2 tornadoes are called "significant tornadoes" and cause considerable damage. They can tear the roofs off of light frame houses, demolish mobile homes, overturn railroad boxcars, uproot or snap large trees, lift cars off the ground, and turn light objects into missiles.
F3 - SEVERE
With winds from 158-206 mph (254-332 kph), F3 tornadoes are called "severe tornadoes." They can tear the roofs and walls off of well-constructed houses, uproot the trees in a forest, overturn entire trains, and can throw cars. F2 and F3 tornadoes are considered strong and account for 25% of all tornadoes measured from 1950 to 1994.
F4 - DEVASTATING
With winds from 207-260 mph (333-416 kph), F4 tornadoes are called "devastating tornadoes." They level well-constructed houses, blow structures with weak foundations some distances, and turn large objects into missiles.
F5 - INCREDIBLE
With winds from 261-318 mph (417-509 kph), F5 tornadoes are called "incredible tornadoes." They lift and blow strong houses, debark trees, cause car-sized objects to fly through the air, and cause incredible damage and phenomena to occur. F4 and F5 tornadoes are called violent and account for a mere 1% of all tornadoes measured from 1950 to 1994. Very few F5 tornadoes occur.
F6 - INCONCEIVABLE
With winds above 318 mph (509 kph), F6 tornadoes are considered "inconceivable tornadoes." None has ever been recorded and the wind speeds are very unlikely. It would be difficult to measure such a tornado as there would be no objects left to study. Some continue to measure tornadoes up to F12 and Mach 1 (the speed of sound) at 761.5 mph (1218.4 kph).
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It's truly incredible the damage wind can have. Let alone the tidal surge associated with hurricanes. ::)
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