- One: Wind speeds between 74 and 95 mph. A category one will not cause damage to permanent structures, but can cause damage to cars, mobile homes, and trees. Minor flooding.
- Two: Wind speeds between 96 and 110 mph. A category two can cause minor damage to permanent structures, such as broken windows and pulling apart roofing material. Vegetation destroyed. Coast and low-level areas flooded.
- Three: Wind speeds between 111 and 130 mph. Winds, flooding and floating debris can cause structural damage to smaller permanent structures, including utility buildings, which may result in loss of power. Floods anything five feet above sea level and below.
- Four: Wind speeds between 131 and 155 mph. Major damage to permanent structures, especially roofs as a result of high winds. Erosion of beach areas. Floods anything ten feet above sea level and below. Residential areas up to six miles inland should be evacuated.
- Five: Wind speeds greater than 155 mph. Major damage to permanent structures. Floods anything fifteen feet above sea level and below. Residential areas up to ten miles inland should be evacuated.
Hurricane Categories
Hurricanes are categorized on a five-point scale that links the hurrican'es characteristics, such a wind speeds, to the potential damage they may do. The scale was proposed in 1971 by engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Simpson, and is known as the Saffir-Simpson scale.
