08/09/2023
The intensity of a hurricane at landfall is expressed in categories that describe wind speed and potential damage. For example, a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale has lighter winds than other storms of higher categories.
A Category 4 hurricane has average winds of between 131 and 155 miles per hour. This type of hurricane could cause 100 times more damage than a Category 1 storm. Depending on other circumstances, less intense storms could be quite strong and cause significant damage, particularly in areas that have not been prepared in advance.
Tropical storm force winds are quite strong and dangerous to those in their path. For this reason, emergency authorities plan complete evacuations of the population before the onset of tropical storm force winds.
