| Category 1: 74-95 mph winds |
| Effects: No real damage to building structures. Damage
primarly to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Also, some
coastal road flooding and minor pier damage. Example: Hurricane David, 1979 |
|
| Category 2: 96-110 mph winds |
| Some roofing material, door, and window damage to buildings. Considerable damage to vegetation, mobile homes, and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings. Example: Hurricane Bonnie, 1998 |
|
| Category 3: 111-130 mph winds |
| Some 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. Terrain continuously
lower than 5 feet ASL may be flooded inland 8 miles or more. Example: Hurricane Fran, 1996 |
|
| Category 4: 131-155 mph winds |
| More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete
roof strucutre failure on small residences. Major erosion of beach.
Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain
continuously lower than 10 feet ASL may be flooded requiring massive
evacuation of residential areas inland as far as 6 miles. Examples: Hurricane Hugo, 1989; Hurricane Andrew, 1992; Hurricane Floyd, 1999 |
|
| Category 5: 155 mph and greater winds |
| 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 ASL and within 500 yards of the shoreline.
Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to
10 miles of the shoreline may be required. Example: Hurricane Mitch, 1998 |
|
