UK Tornado Information

Many people are aware that the USA sees the highest number of tornadoes each year, roughly 1200. This number is four times the estimated number that all of europe produce.

Many people in the UK may be shocked however to learn that the Netherlands and the UK has the next highest number of tornadoes. Here in the UK we have roughly 50 tornadoes each year, most however are weak and cause very little damage. The most recent notable tornado struck Birmingham on 28th July 2005 with winds between 93-130mph (T4 or F2 in scale).

The strongest tornado on record wihin the UK hit Portsmouth on 14th December 1810 with wind speeds between 213-240mph (T8-F4 on scale).

The largest tornado outbreak in europe occured in Britain on 23rd November 1981 when a cold front dropped 105 tornadoes. Most however were weak but one was reported to be around a T5. Norfolk bore the brunt of this outbreak with a reported 13 reported tornadoes.

Click for More Information about tornadoes in the UK from the TORRO website.

The Fujita Scale

Class	Phrase	Speed	Damage
F0	Gale tornado	40-72 MPH	Some damage to chimneys; breaks branches off trees; pushes over shallow-rooted trees; damages sign boards.
F1	Moderate tornado	73-112 MPH	The lower limit is the beginning of hurricane wind speed; peels surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos pushed off the roads; attached garages may be destroyed.
F2	Significant tornado	113-157 MPH	Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light object missiles generated.
F3	Severe tornado	158-206 MPH	Roof and some walls torn off well constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forests are uprooted.
F4	Devastating tornado	207-260 MPH	Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5	Incredible tornado	261-318 MPH	Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distances to disintegrate; automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters; trees debarked; steel re-enforced concrete structures badly damaged.
F6	Inconceivable tornado	319-379 MPH	These winds are very unlikely. The small area of damage they might produce would probably not be recognizable along with the mess produced by F4 and F5 wind that would surround the F6 winds. Missiles, such as cars and refrigerators would do serious secondary damage that could not be directly identified as F6 damage. If this level is ever achieved, evidence for it might only be found in some manner of ground swirl pattern, for it may never be identifiable through engineering studies.
Credit to tornadoproject.com for the information.

TORRO Tornado Intensity Scale

Intensity	Speed	Description
FC	-	No damage to structures, unless on tops of tallest towers, or to radiosondes, balloons, and aircraft. No damage in the country, except possibly agitation to highest tree-tops and effect on birds and smoke. Record FC when not known to have reached ground level. A whistling or rushing sound aloft may be noticed.
T0	39-54 MPH	Loose light litter raised from ground-level in spirals. Tents, marquees seriously disturbed; most exposed tiles, slates on roofs dislodged. Twigs snapped; trail visible through crops.
T1	55-72 MPH	Deckchairs, small plants, heavy litter made airborne; minor damage to sheds. More serious dislodging of tiles, slates, chimney pots. Wooden fences flattened. Slight damage to hedges and trees.
T2	73-92 MPH	Heavy mobile homes displaced, light caravans blown over, garden sheds destroyed, garage roofs torn away, much damage to tiled roofs and chimney stacks. General damage to trees, some big branches twisted or snapped off, small trees uprooted.
T3	93-114 MPH	Mobile homes overturned/badly damaged; light caravans destroyed; garages, outbuildings destroyed; house roof timbers considerably exposed. Some bigger trees snapped or uprooted.
T4	115-136 MPH	Mobile homes destroyed; some sheds airborne for considerable distances; entire roofs removed from some houses or prefabricated buildings; roof timbers of stronger brick or stone houses completely exposed; possible collapse of gable ends. Numerous trees uprooted or snapped.
T5	137-160 MPH	Motor cars levitated; more serious building damage than T4, yet house walls usually remaining; weak/old buildings may collapse completely.
T6	161-186 MPH	Heavy motor vehicles levitated; strong houses lose entire roofs and perhaps also a wall; more of the weaker buildings collapse.
T7	187-212 MPH	Frame house completely demolished; some walls of stone or brick houses beaten down or collapse; steel-framed warehouse-type buildings may buckle slightly. Locomotives thrown over. Noticeable de-barking of any standing trees by flying debris.
T8	213-240 MPH	Frame houses and their contents dispersed over big distances; most other stone or brick houses irreparably damaged; steel-framed buildings buckled; motor cars hurled great distances.
T9	241-269 MPH	Many steel-framed buildings badly damaged; locomotives or trains hurled some distance. Complete debarking of any standing tree-trunks.
T10	270-299 MPH	Entire frame houses and similar buildings lifted bodily from foundations and carried some distances. Steel-reinforced concrete buildings may be severely damaged.
Tornadoes of strength T0, T1, T2, T3 are termed weak tornadoes. Those reaching T4, T5, T6, T7 are strong tornadoes. T8, T9, T10, T11 are violent tornadoes.
Credit to torro.org.uk for the information.

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