Ted Fujita

Quick Facts: Who was Ted Fujita?

Subject:

Ted Fujita

Known for:

Pioneering meteorologist known for the Fujita scale, downburst research, and tornado studies.

Born:

1920-10-23

Died:

1998-11-19

Century / Era:

1920s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Tetsuya Theodore Fujita (; FOO-jee-tah) (藤田 哲也, Fujita Tetsuya; October 23, 1920 – November 19, 1998) was a Japanese and American meteorologist whose research primarily focused on severe weather. His research at the University of Chicago on severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons revolutionized the knowledge of each. Although he is best known for creating the Fujita scale of tornado intensity and damage, he also discovered downbursts and microbursts and was an instrumental figure in advancing modern understanding of many severe weather phenomena and how they affect people, airplanes, and communities, especially through his work exploring the relationship between wind speed and damage. Fujita was born October 23, 1920 in the village of Sone, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, an area that is now part of the city of Kitakyushu. Fujita resided in Kokura during World War II.

Career & Major Achievements

Kokura was the primary target for the "Fat Man" plutonium bomb, but on the morning of August 9, 1945, the city was obscured by clouds and smoke from the neighboring city of Yahata, which had been firebombed the day before. As a result, the bomb was dropped on the secondary target, Nagasaki. Fujita was exempt from military service during the war due to poor eyesight. He worked as a physics teacher. In 1953 he moved to America at the invitation of Horace Byers at the University of Chicago.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Studying the damage caused by the nuclear explosions contributed to Fujita's understanding of downbursts and microbursts as "starbursts" of wind hitting the Earth's surface and spreading out. Fujita surveyed a tornado alongside Rodger A. Brown in Chicago in June 1961, which occurred March 1961 through the city's South Side. A report described the tornado as "the most destructive" of all of the tornadoes in the city over the previous 90 years. The survey also noted the strange damage patterns of the tornado, with most houses receiving only minor damage to shingles and windows being on the same property as destroyed garages and uprooted trees. Wind patterns and news reports were used to determine that another likely tornado occurring in Homewood at the same time was a "gust of straight-line wind".

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1920 (1920-10-23): Birth of Ted Fujita — Pioneering meteorologist known for the Fujita scale, downburst research, and tornado studies.
2. 1945: 1945 Milestone — Kokura was the primary target for the "Fat Man" plutonium bomb, but on the morning of August 9, 1945, the city was obscured by clouds and smoke from the neighboring city of Yahata, which had been firebombed the day before.
3. 1953: 1953 Milestone — In 1953 he moved to America at the invitation of Horace Byers at the University of Chicago.
4. 1961: 1961 Milestone — Brown in Chicago in June 1961, which occurred March 1961 through the city's South Side.
5. 1998 (1998-11-19): Passing & Historical Legacy — Ted Fujita passed away on 1998-11-19, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Notable Quotes by Ted Fujita

“The intense system of storms was initiated before a pressure-surge line was organized.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Ted Fujita

True or False: “Fujita's initial research on wind damage patterns after nuclear explosions helped him understand the concept of downbursts and microbursts.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Studying the damage from nuclear blasts contributed to his understanding of these intense, localized wind phenomena.

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• 1920 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1920
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Frequently Asked Questions about Ted Fujita