What Are the 5 Categories of Hurricanes?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is predicting an above-normal hurricane season for the Atlantic this year. Warm temperatures, many of them driven by La Nina, may cause up to an 85% chance of a high number of hurricanes in the Atlantic region.
Unfortunately, this means that everyone who is concerned about global weather patterns will hear more about hurricane warnings and damage than they’d like to, even if they don’t live on the Atlantic Coast.
Though it is far from an ocean shore, the state of Colorado is no stranger to hurricane-force winds. In 2021, hurricane-force winds caused major damage in parts of Golden, Boulder, Arvada, and Fort Collins.
Hurricane Categories From the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Hurricanes are rated using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which was first created in 1969 by a civil engineer named Herbert Saffir.
Saffir developed the scale when he was conducting studies of low-cost housing in hurricane regions. Realizing there was no standardized system for describing hurricanes, Saffid based his scale on wind, speed, and the potential damage they could cause.
Later, Saffir shared his scale with the director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Robert Simpson. The system was modified by Simpson and others at the NHC and is still used to measure hurricanes today.
Category 1
Hurricanes with sustained winds of 74 to 95 miles per hour are classified as Category 1 storms. The type of damage possible from a Category 1 hurricane is severe. Any loose objects can become deadly projectiles, causing injury to anyone who is not in a safe shelter.
Damage to the outside of a home can be expected. Smaller trees may be pulled from the ground, and larger branches can break. Power lines and power poles may also sustain damage, leaving communities without power for several days.
Category 2
Category 2 hurricanes have sustained winds of 96 to 110 miles per hour. Category 2 storms are considered extremely dangerous and can cause major damage to the roofing and siding of homes and commercial buildings. Toppled and damaged trees, as well as power outages, can be expected.
Category 3
With sustained winds of 111 to 129 miles per hour, a Category 3 hurricane is powerful enough to devastate a community. Broken and damaged trees can block roads, preventing emergency responders from reaching the people who need help.
Expect severe damage to homes and buildings, as well as power and water outages that could last for weeks.
Category 4
Category 4 hurricanes bring catastrophic damage, with sustained winds reaching 130 to 156 miles per hour. Fallen trees and electrical power lines can cause a stoppage in utilities for weeks or months. A hurricane of this magnitude can destroy a home’s exterior walls, leaving the entire building exposed to further damage.
The most recent hurricane to reach landfall as a Category 4 storm was Hurricane Ian in 2022. At least 157 deaths are attributed to Hurricane Ian, making it the most deadly storm to reach Florida since the hurricane known as “The Labor Day Storm” in 1935.
Category 5
A hurricane that reaches sustained winds of 157 mph or higher is classified as Category 5. Only four such hurricanes have reached landfall in the U.S. since hurricanes have been recorded.
Hurricane Maria, which devastated the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico in 2017, is estimated to have killed 2,975 in Puerto Rico as well as perhaps thousands of others throughout the storm’s Caribbean pathway.
Keeping Watch on Hurricanes
Hurricanes are deadly, but they can usually be predicted days or weeks ahead of time. Don’t take a chance if you are in hurricane country when warnings are announced. Follow all instructions for a safe and timely evacuation.
You may save not only your own life and the lives of your loved ones but also the lives of first responders, who would otherwise have to undertake dangerous missions to rescue you.
Contact our Denver Personal Injury Law Firm Today For Help
For more information please contact Zaner Harden Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation with a Denver personal injury lawyer.
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