How to Measure the Force of a Hurricane

Hurricanes are windstorms that develop in the tropics and often make landfall on the North American continent. In the United States, hurricane season runs from June to November, but the peak season starts in the middle of August and ends in late October. The Simpson-Saffir scale measures the wind power of a hurricane, which ranges from 74 mph in a minor category 1 hurricane to 155 mph in a category 5, which is rare. You can also gauge a hurricane's force by determining the severity of damage and the height of the storm surge.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine the wind speed of the hurricane. The Saffir-Simpson model provides the following scale:

  Category 1: 74 to 95 mph

  Category 2: 96 to 110 mph

  Category 3: 111 to 130 mph

  Category 4: 131 to 155 mph

  Category 5 wind speeds in excess of 155 mph

• 2

  Identify the height of the storm surge, which is the rise in sea water at high tide during a storm. Based on the Saffir-Simpson scale, storm surges typically range from 4 to 5 feet in category 1 storms; 6 to 8 feet in category 2; 9 to 12 feet in category 3; 13 to 18 feet in category 4 and over 18 feet in category 5.

• 3

  Survey the aftermath damage. After a category 1 storm, effects are minimal but may include vegetation and sign damage and unmoored trailers. In a category 2, wind and flooding can turn over trailers and cause small craft or roof damage. Category 3 storms leave extensive damage to homes and small buildings in their wake, while category 4 storms can flood beach homes, destroy mobile homes, uproot trees and take the roof off a home. Category 5 storms cause the most catastrophic damage and will demolish homes and buildings, destroy road systems and uproot vegetation.