remember hurricane irma? in fact, the 2017 storm was the strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricane on record. As a result, it killed more than 100 people and caused more than $77 billion in hurricane damage across the Caribbean and the United States. now irma was a category 5 hurricane, which is the most severe type and also the rarest. Still, a good question is: what kind of damage can we expect from each category of hurricane?
hurricane categories and their damage potential
we measure hurricanes with something called the saffir-simpson scale. this classifies the wind speed of a hurricane, which is an accurate way of knowing how much damage you can expect from a storm. We’ll explore the different categories of hurricane damage below, but first we need to take a look at depressions and tropical storms.
depressions and tropical storms
Tropical depressions are storms that have winds less than 39 mph or 34 knots. however, tropical storms have winds between 39 and 119 mph (34 and 64 knots). while none of these reach hurricane wind speed levels, they are still extremely dangerous. can expect:
- shake and bend trees, poles, bushes, and other objects
- possible power outages as a result of damaged power lines
- rain and possible flooding
- falling debris
- roof damage: shingles, shingles, gutters, etc. damaged
Some trees snapping and breaking - heavy rain and flooding
- major roof damage (contact the professionals at rockland county roofers to get it fixed ASAP)
- many trees snap, snap, and are uprooted
- power outages lasting up to several weeks
- the complete removal of roofs, siding, decking, and other exterior fixtures
- major environmental damage: flying debris, flying trees, etc.
- significant flooding
- power outages and loss of potable water services
- severe structural damage to homes – collapsed roofs and walls
- deadly flying debris
- heavy rain and flooding
- power outages, loss of clean water and more that last several weeks or months
- houses destroyed
- months without light or water
- an area generally uninhabitable
category 1
Category 1 has hurricane wind speeds between 74 and 95 mph (64 and 82 knots). this is considered dangerous and can result in some hurricane damage, including all of the above and:
category 2
Category 2 hurricanes have sustained winds between 96 and 110 mph (83 and 95 knots). these hurricanes are considered dangerous and can cause the following damage:
category 3
Category 3 and above are major hurricanes. these are extremely dangerous and produce significant hurricane damage. Category 3 storms have sustained hurricane wind speeds between 111 and 129 mph (96 and 112 knots). They can cause all of the aforementioned damage and more, including:
category 4
Category 4 hurricanes have winds between 130 and 156 mph (113 and 136 knots). these are devastating in nature and can lead to:
category 5
Category 5 hurricanes have winds of more than 157 mph (137 knots). these produce the most hurricane damage, lead to the greatest loss of life, and are catastrophic in all areas. expect the following types of devastation:
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