About Hurricanes?

• What is a Hurricane?
  
  
• Saffir-Simpson Hurrican Scale
  
  
• What causes most of the hurricane-related damage?

What is a hurricane? - Hurricanes, tropical storms, and typhoons are collectively known as tropical cyclones. They are among the most devastating, naturally occurring-hazard in the United States and its territories. Tropical cyclones are classified as follows:

Hurricane - An intense tropical weather system with a well defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or higher. In the western Pacific, hurricanes are called "typhoons." Similar storms in the Indian Ocean are called "cyclones."

Tropical Storm - An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph (34-63 knots).

Tropical Depression - An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 mph (33 knots) or less;

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

What causes most of the hurricane-related damage?

Storm surge, rain, and wind cause most of the damage associated with hurricanes. · Storm surge floods and erodes coastal areas, salinizes land and groundwater, contaminates the water supply, causes agricultural losses, results in loss of life, and damages structures and infrastructure. · Rain damages structures, infrastructure, and agriculture and results in loss of life. Hawaii's topography focuses the rains on mountain slopes, causing flash flood and landslides. · Strong winds can result in loss of life, create tremendous amounts of debris (which impact utilities and transportation), cause agricultural losses, and destroy lightly constructed buildings (e.g., tofu-block houses).