Ventajas de la Escala Internacional de Fujita (IF) para calificar los daños por tornados y vientos

Abstract

The occurrence of a tornado or some other form of convective wind, of small temporal and spatial scope, is not easily detectable by conventional observations or remote sensing systems. Often its existence is only known a posteriori, based on news and testimonies that must be verified, and records of the maximum wind values reached are very rare. However, there is an obvious scientific interest in estimating the wind intensity of these phenomena, both to establish classifications and climatologies, and to improve the prediction of these adverse phenomena. In the case of Spain there is an added interest, as AEMET, as the state’s meteorological authority, is often required to assess the occurrence of a tornado or wind gusts exceeding 120 km/h, which are two forms of “Atypical Cyclonic Storm” (TCA) recognized by the Insurance Compensation Consortium (CCS). The International Fujita (IF) Scale presented here offers a universally applicable, consistent and tested scale. A first full version was published on 28 July 2023 by the ESSL in collaboration with partners from weather services, engineering, and forestry.