NWS: EF2 tornado touched down in Southwest Florida. Here's what that means.
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An EF2 tornado reportedly touched down in the Iona area of Lee County, just before 8 a.m. Sunday, according to The National Weather Service.
The tornado left behind damages to dozens of homes and several neighborhoods in Southwest Florida. According to reports, wind speeds reached up to 118 mph during the storm.
Live updates: Tornado, strong storms destroy dozens of homes in Southwest Florida
Related: A tornado near Fort Myers reached 118 mph and destroyed dozens of homes. Here's what we know
What are the five intensity levels of a tornado?
The intensity of a tornado is measured on the Enhanced Fujita, or EF, scale. Ratings are assigned to each tornado based on the estimated wind speed and damage related to the storm.
The EF scale ranges from zero to five, according to The National Weather Service. An EF0 is the lowest ranking available for a tornado. EF0 tornadoes are considered "weak" and usually have wind speeds between 65 and 85 mph.
Damage data tracker: Rolling storm damage reports in Florida
On social media: Videos show storm damage across Fort Myers, Iona, Naples and on Alligator Alley
EF1 tornado
Tornadoes that are classified as EF1 have wind speeds that reach between 86 and 110 mph. The tornadoes damage mobile homes, blow windows out of buildings, and are capable of removing doors from sturdy structures.
EF2 tornado
EF2 tornadoes are classified as such if they have wind speeds that reach between 111 and 135 mph. These tornadoes tear the roofs off of well-constructed homes, destroy mobile homes, and are capable of uprooting and snapping large trees.
EF3 tornado
An EF3 tornado has wind speeds that reach between 136 and 165 mph. Tornadoes of this magnitude are able to blow away structures, damage homes, overturn trains, and lift cars off the ground.
More: Power outages reported across Southwest Florida after tornado hits Fort Myers area
EF4 tornado
Tornadoes that are classified as EF4 have wind speeds that reach between 166 and 200 mph. EF4 tornadoes are capable of snapping trees, hurling cars around, and leveling and destroying well-constructed homes.
EF5 tornado
EF5 is the strongest classification for a tornado. These storms have wind speeds that reach 200 mph. An EF5 tornado is capable of causing severe damage to high-rise buildings, sweeping away homes, and moving automobile-sized objects with ease.
Stick with news-press.com and naplesnews.com for the latest developments on Sunday morning's storm. If you would like to assist families affected by the storm, click here to find out about ways you can help.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: EF2 tornado wind speed: Southwest Florida tornado rating scale
