Hurricane |
A hurricane is a severe cyclone originating over tropical ocean waters and having one-minute sustained surface winds 64 knots (74 miles per hour) or higher (33 meters per second). They rotate counter-clockwise around an eye. West of the international date line, in the western Pacific, such storms are known as typhoons. In the U.S., the official hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30, but hurricanes can happen at any time of the year. Hurricanes are named by the National Weather Service. This is the Saffir-Simpson scale. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1 - 5 rating based on a hurricane's intensity. The scale is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale. |
Category 1 2 3 4 5 |
Wind Speed 74 - 95 miles per hour 96 - 110 miles per hour 111 - 130 miles per hour 131 - 155 miles per hour More than 155 miles per hour |
Severity Weak Moderate Strong Very Strong Devastating |
Meteorology ---------------- |