All hurricanes are dangerous, but some are more so than others. The way storm surge, wind, and other factors combine determines the hurricane's destructive power. To make comparisons easier, and to make the predicted hazards of approaching hurricanes clearer to emergency forces, hurricane forecasters use a disaster-potential scale, which assigns storms to five categories. Category I is a minimum hurricane; category 5 is the worst case scenario. The criteria for each category are shown below. The winds are used in the determination of category.
CATEGORY
PRESSURE
WINDS (MPH)
SURGE (FEET)
DAMAGE
STORM
YEAR
1
980+ (MB)
74-95
COAST 4 - 5; BAYS 4- 7
MINIMAL
JERRY
1989
2
965 - 979
96-110
COAST 6 - 8; BAYS 8 - 12
MODERATE
KATE
1965
3
945 - 964
111-130
COAST 9 - 12; BAYS 13 - 18
EXTENSIVE
ALICIA
1983
4
920 - 944
131-155
COAST 13 - 18; BAYS 19 - 24
EXTREME
CARLA
1961
5
<920 (MB)
> 155
COAST 18+; BAYS 24+
CATASTROPHIC
CAMILLE
1969
Category Effects
Minimal damage to building structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.
Some roofing material, door, and window damage to buildings, Considerable damage to vegetation, mobile homes, and piers. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings.
Structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Mobile homes are destroyed. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by floating debris.
More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failure on small residences. Major erosion of beach areas. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore.
Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet above sea level.
