EF3

EF3 is a rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale used to classify tornado intensity. It denotes estimated wind speeds of 136 to 165 miles per hour (218 to 266 kilometers per hour). Ratings are based on damage surveys, not direct wind measurements; as a result, the exact winds can vary within the range and depend on construction quality and terrain.

Typical damage associated with EF3 includes severe destruction: entire stories of well-built houses destroyed; roofs and exterior walls significantly damaged or torn off; mobile homes destroyed; large outbuildings and industrial structures sustaining substantial damage; trees are snapped or uprooted; vehicles can be overturned or thrown.

The Enhanced Fujita scale was introduced in 2007 as a revision of the original Fujita scale. It uses 28 Damage Indicators to reflect different building types and materials and assigns a degree of damage to each indicator, which are combined to produce a final rating from EF0 to EF5. The rating is widely used in the United States and Canada and is intended to provide more consistent assessments of tornado damage than its predecessor.

EF3 tornadoes are considered to cause severe damage and are capable of significant structural failure and risk to life; they often leave long, destructive paths. While less extreme than EF4 or EF5 events, EF3 tornadoes can produce substantial, lasting impacts on communities.