Hurricane damage as measured by Saffir-Simpson scale
7 years, 7 months ago

Hurricane damage as measured by Saffir-Simpson scale

Associated Press  

The Saffir-Simpson scale of a hurricane’s intensity is used to estimate potential property damage and coastal flooding caused by storm surge. Flooding from storm surge depends on many factors, such as the track, intensity, size, and forward speed of the storm and the characteristics of the coastline where it comes ashore or passes nearby. Hurricane Katrina, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, was a Category 3 storm at landfall in 2005 after being a Category 5 in the Gulf of Mexico. Two 2004 storms were Category 4: Hurricane Ivan, which made landfall near Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Hurricane Charley, which hit the Florida Gulf Coast near Fort Myers.

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History of this topic

What to know about Hurricane Helene and widespread flooding the storm left across the Southeast US
6 months ago

What to know about Hurricane Helene and widespread flooding the storm left across the Southeast US

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

How Hurricanes Are Categorized on an Imperfect Scale
6 months, 2 weeks ago

How Hurricanes Are Categorized on an Imperfect Scale

Bloomberg  

As it approached Louisiana’s coastline, Tropical Storm Francine was threatening to grow into a Category 1 hurricane. The category is part of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which is cited routinely during the Atlantic hurricane season. It’s a five-step scale created in the 1970s by Herb Saffir, an engineer, and Bob Simpson, a meteorologist, to categorize a hurricane ’s power, …

You’re gonna need a bigger number: Scientists consider a Category 6 for mega-hurricane era
11 months ago

You’re gonna need a bigger number: Scientists consider a Category 6 for mega-hurricane era

LA Times  

In 1973, the National Hurricane Center introduced the Saffir-Simpson scale, a five-category rating system that classified hurricanes by wind intensity. Earlier this year, two climate scientists published a paper that compared historical storm activity to a hypothetical version of the Saffir-Simpson scale that included a Category 6, for storms with sustained winds of 192 mph or more. “That’s kind of …

What is hurricane storm surge? Why can it be catastrophic?
2 years, 6 months ago

What is hurricane storm surge? Why can it be catastrophic?

The Hindu  

Of all the hazards that hurricanes bring, storm surge is the greatest threat to life and property along the coast. If a coastal area has a sea floor that gently slopes away from the coastline, it’s more likely to see a higher storm surge than an area with a steeper drop-off. If landfall happens at high tide, the storm surge …

The Way We Categorize Hurricanes Puts People In Danger
6 years, 6 months ago

The Way We Categorize Hurricanes Puts People In Danger

Huff Post  

Dozens of people in Wilmington, North Carolina, wait in line for ice on Sept. 17, after Hurricane Florence hit. Research conducted after 2008’s Hurricane Ike in Texas suggested that some people are more likely to evacuate as a storm’s category number rises. “The Saffir-Simpson category system tells only a small part of a hurricane’s story, and we need to find …

Hurricane categories and other terminology explained
6 years, 6 months ago

Hurricane categories and other terminology explained

CNN  

CNN — For a hurricane to form, it needs warm water, damp air and winds that come together. Tropical storm-force winds: Tropical storm-force winds usually are felt throughout a large swath of a hurricane. Category 1: Winds 74 to 95 mph Category 2: Winds 96 to 110 mph Category 3: Winds 111 to 129 mph Category 4: Winds 130 to …

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