Hurricane Damage and Effects Hurricane Season
Hurricane Safety Hurricane Formation
Hurricane Names Tracking Hurricanes
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
This scale was developed in the early 1970s by Herbert Saffir, a consulting engineer in Coral Gables, Florida, and Dr. Robert Simpson, then director of the National Hurricane Center. The scale is based primarily on wind speeds and includes estimates of barometric pressure and storm surge associated with each of the five categories. It is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall.
Category Winds Surge Central Pressure
1 - Minimal 74 - 95 mph or 64 - 83 kts 4 - 5 feet greater than 980 mb or 28.94 in
2 - Moderate 96 - 110 mph or 65 - 96 kts 6 - 8 feet 965 - 979 mb or 28.50 - 28.91 in
3 - Extensive 111 - 130 mph or 97 - 113 kts 9 - 12 feet 945 - 964 mb or 27.91 - 28.47 in
4 - Extreme 131 - 155 mph or 114 - 135 kts 13 - 18 feet 920 - 944 mb or 27.17 - 27.88 in
5 - Catastrophic greater than 155 mph or 135 kts greater than 18 feet less than 920 mb or 27.17 in
Category 1 - Minimal
Damage primarily restricted to shrubbery, trees, and unanchored mobile homes; no substantial damage to other structures; some damage to poorly constructed signs.
Some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.
Category 2 - Moderate
Considerable damage to shrubbery and tree foliage, some trees blown down; major damage to exposed mobile homes; extensive damage to poorly constructed signs and some damage to windows, doors and roofing materials of buildings, but no major destruction to buildings.
Coastal roads and low-lying escape routes inland cut off by rising water about two to four hours before landfall; considerable damage to piers, marinas flooded; small craft in protected anchorage torn from moorings.
Category 3 - Extensive
Foliage torn from trees; large trees blown down; poorly constructed signs blown down; some damage to roofing, windows, and doors; some structural damage to small buildings; mobile homes destroyed.
Serious flooding along the coast; many small structures near the coast destroyed; larger coastal structures damaged by battering waves and floating debris.
Low-lying escape routes inland cut off by rising water about three to five hours before landfall; flat terrain 5 feet or less above sea level flooded up to 8 or more miles inland.
Evacuation of low-lying residences within several blocks of shoreline may be required.
Category 4 - Extreme
Shrubs, trees, and all signs blown down; extensive damage to roofs, windows, and doors, with complete failure of roofs on many smaller residences; mobile homes demolished.
Flat terrain 10 feet or less above sea level flooded inland as far as 6 miles; flooding and battering by waves and floating debris cause major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore; low-lying escape routes inland cut off by rising water about three to five hours before landfall; major erosion of beaches
Massive evacuation of inland residences as far inland as 6 miles may be required.
Category 5 - Catastrophic
Trees, shrub, and all signs blown down; considerable damage to roofs of buildings, with very severe and extensive damage to winds and doors; complete failure on many roofs of residences and industrial buildings; extensive shattering of glass in windows and doors; complete buildings destroyed; small building overturned or blown away; mobile homes demolished.
Major damage to lower floors of all structures less than 15 feet above sea level within 1500 feet of the shore.
Low-lying escape routes inland cut off by rising water about three to five hours before landfall; major erosion of beaches.
Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground as far inland as 10 miles may be required.
[Information from The National Hurricane Center]
Category 6....... Not Yet on the Scale .......... Invisioned by the Duck . It will be a Storm of a New Magnitude. Created by Triple Digit Heat , Higher Sea Surface Temptures , and Direct formation of La Ninya . You think Katrina & Andrew were bad . Just wait!!!
As always thanks for reading .
.....
"WHITFIELD"
