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WHAT IS A HURRICANE?

-- A hurricane is a fierce storm with strong winds rotating around a moving center of low atmospheric pressure.
-- Hurricanes rotate counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere.
-- Maximum wind speeds must be 73 miles per hour or more. Once winds go below 73 miles per hour, it is a tropical storm.
-- The word hurricane is regional -- applying to tropical cyclones in the north Atlantic Ocean, parts of the northeast Pacific Ocean and parts of the south Pacific Ocean.
-- A typhoon is the same thing occurring in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
-- Hurricane season lasts June 1 through November 30. It is rare, but hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic as early as March or as late as December.

WHERE DO THEY USUALLY HIT?

-- 36% of all U.S. hurricanes hit Florida.
-- 76% of Category 4 or higher hurricanes hit Florida or Texas.

HOW MANY CATEGORY FOUR AND FIVE STORMS HAVE HIT?

-- Since 1900, just three Category 5 storms have hit the continental U.S. There have been 15 Category 4 storms in that time, including Hurricane Charley.
-- The last time the U.S. was hit by two hurricanes of Category 4 or above in the same year was 1915. That year a Category 4 storm hit Galveston and another one hit New Orleans.
-- Category 5 storms since 1900 (in order of intensity): 1) Unnamed storm hit Florida Keys in 1935, killing 408 people, 2) Hurricane Camille hit Mississippi in 1969, and 3) Hurricane Andrew hit southeast Florida in 1992.

HURRICANE CATEGORIES

-- The categories are determined by the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

CATEGORY ONE: winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt or 119-153 km/hr).
-- Storm surge 4-5 feet above normal.
-- No real damage to buildings or structures.
-- Shrubs, loose signs and unanchored mobile homes may sustain some damage. Coastal flooding is possible.

CATEGORY TWO: winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt or 154-177 km/hr).
-- Storm surge 6-8 feet above normal.
-- Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees as well as to mobile homes, poorly constructed signs and piers.
-- Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of the hurricane center.
-- Example: Hurricane Bonnie hit the North Carolina coast in 1998.

CATEGORY THREE: winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt or 178-209 km/hr).
-- Storm surge generally 9-12 ft above normal. Some damage to small residences.
-- Some large trees blown down. Some mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed.
-- Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures.
-- Terrain lower than 5 ft above sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles (13 km) or more.
-- Example: Hurricane Fran hit North Carolina in 1996.

CATEGORY FOUR: winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr).
-- Storm surge generally 13-18 ft above normal.
-- Roofs destroyed on many buildings and residences, Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows.
-- Terrain lower than 10 ft above sea level may be flooded.
-- Example: Hurricane Luis passed over the Leeward Islands in 1995.

CATEGORY FIVE: winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr).
-- Storm surge generally greater than 18 ft above normal.
-- Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some buildings completely destroyed. All shrubs, trees, and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes.
-- Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 ft above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline.
-- Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5-10 miles (8-16 km) of the shoreline may be required.
-- Example: Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992.

(updated from the original 2004 article by the Associated Press.)

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