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| The Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale |
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| CATEGORY |
ONE |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
74-95 mph (64-82 kt or
119-153 km/hr) |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Storm surge generally
4-5 ft above normal. No real damage to building
structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile
homes, shrubbery, and trees. Some damage to poorly
constructed signs. Also, some coastal road flooding
and minor pier damage. Hurricanes Allison of 1995
and Danny of 1997 were Category One hurricanes at
peak intensity. |
| CATEGORY |
TWO |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
96-110 mph
(83-95 kt or 154-177 km/hr) |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Storm surge
generally 6-8 feet above normal. Some roofing material,
door, and window damage of buildings. Considerable
damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown
down. Considerable damage to mobile homes, poorly
constructed signs, and piers. Coastal and low-lying
escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of
the hurricane center. Small craft in unprotected
anchorages break moorings. Hurricane Bonnie of 1998
was a Category Two hurricane when it hit the North
Carolina coast, while Hurricane Georges of 1998
was a Category Two Hurricane when it hit the Florida
Keys and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. |
| CATEGORY |
THREE |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
111-130 mph
(96-113 kt or 178-209 km/hr) |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Storm surge
generally 9-12 ft above normal. Some structural
damage to small residences and utility buildings
with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Damage
to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees
and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly
constructed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape
routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before
arrival of the center of the hurricane. Flooding
near the coast destroys smaller structures with
larger structures damaged by battering from floating
debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 ft above
mean sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles (13
km) or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences
with several blocks of the shoreline may be required.
Hurricanes Roxanne of 1995 and Fran of 1996 were
Category Three hurricanes at landfall on the Yucatan
Peninsula of Mexico and in North Carolina, respectively.
|
| CATEGORY |
FOUR |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
131-155 mph
(114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Storm surge generally
13-18 ft above normal. More extensive curtainwall
failures with some complete roof structure failures
on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs
are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes.
Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying
escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours
before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major
damage to lower floors of structures near the shore.
Terrain lower than 10 ft above sea level may be
flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential
areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km). Hurricane
Luis of 1995 was a Category Four hurricane while
moving over the Leeward Islands. Hurricanes Felix
and Opal of 1995 also reached Category Four status
at peak intensity. |
| CATEGORY |
FIVE |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
155+mph (135+
kt or 249+ km/hr) |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Storm surge generally
greater than 18 ft above normal. Complete roof failure
on many residences and industrial buildings. Some
complete building failures with small utility buildings
blown over or away. All shrubs, trees, and signs
blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes.
Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying
escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours
before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major
damage to lower floors of all structures located
less than 15 ft above sea level and within 500 yards
of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential
areas on low ground within 5-10 miles (8-16 km)
of the shoreline may be required. Hurricane Mitch
of 1998 was a Category Five hurricane at peak intensity
over the western Caribbean. Hurricane Gilbert of
1988 was a Category Five hurricane at peak intensity
and is one of the strongest Atlantic tropical cyclones
of record. |
| Fujita Tornado
Damage Scale |
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| SCALE |
F0 |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
up to 74 mph |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Light damage. Some damage
to chimneys; branches broken off trees; shallow-rooted
trees pushed over; sign boards damaged. |
| CATEGORY |
F1 |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
73-112 mph |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Moderate
damage. Peels surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed
off foundations or overturned; moving autos blown
off roads. |
| CATEGORY |
F2 |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
113-157 mph |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Considerable
damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes
demolished; boxcars overturned; large trees snapped
or uprooted; light-object missiles generated; cars
lifted off ground. |
| CATEGORY |
F3 |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
158-206 mph |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Severe damage.
Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses;
trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted;
heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown. |
| CATEGORY |
F4 |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
158-206 mph |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Devastating
damage. Well-constructed houses leveled; structures
with weak foundations blown away some distance;
cars thrown and large missiles generated. |
| CATEGORY |
F5 |
| WIND
ESTIMATE |
261-318 mph |
| TYPICAL
DAMAGE |
|
| Incredible
damage. Strong frame houses leveled off foundations
and swept away; automobile-sized missiles fly through
the air in excess of 100 meters (109 yds); trees
debarked; incredible phenomena will occur. |
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| NOTEWORTHY |
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| LOCAL
WEATHER |
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weather.com |
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| FEATURED
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Site-Blauvelt
Engineer's solely owned subsidiary of TRC Companies, Inc. has
partnered with Public Loss Consultants in providing detailed
structural analysis to damaged buildings.
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TRC
Companies, Inc. Publicly Traded on the NYSE, TRC is also a leading
provider of technical, financial, risk management, and construction
services.
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| LINKS |
|
Hurricane
Names
for 2008 |
Arthur
Bertha
Cristobal |
Dolly
Edouard
Fay |
| |
[More] |
Hurricane Names
for 2009 |
Ana
Bill
Claudette |
Danny
Erika
Fred |
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[More] |
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