Emergency action plan leader up to date before, during, and after a hurricane. The saffirsimpson hurricane scale is a 15 rating based on the hurricanes present intensity. I also created an organizer, the saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale organizer to guide the students through the simulation. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale provides information on wind impacts only and does not provide commentary or information on the other impacts or characteristics associated with tropical cyclones. Hurricanes are categorized according to the saffirsimpson scale in terms of the speed of the winds and the amount of damage they can cause. It is only used for storms that are stronger than tropical storms, and become actual hurricanes.
They used the saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale as their guide. The scale was developed by engineer herbert saffir and pioneer hurricane expert dr robert simpson in 1971. A 15 rating based on the hurricanes present intensity. The scale originally developed by wind engineer herb saffir and meteorologist bob simpson has been an excellent tool for alerting the public.
Hurricane facts, 5 categories, 16 item kit list, and. It is a fivecategory classification scale for hurricanes distinguished by the intensity. Hurricane center nhc defines the saffirsimpson hurricane scale as a 15 rating based on a hurricanes present intensity see table 3. Saffirsimpson hurricane scale courtesy of the national weather service national hurricane center the saffirsimpson hurricane scale is a 15 rating based on the hurricanes present intensity. First developed in the late 1960s by herbert saffir, a structural engineer, to quantity potential damage from hurricane winds, the scale was expanded in the early 1970s by robert simpson, then the. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage. Lesson 4 hurricane preparedness lesson at a glance. Robert simpson, former director of the national hurricane center, talks about the saffirsimpson scale that categorizes hurricanes. Katrina was the costliest natural disaster in the u. The original saffirsimpson hurricane damagepotential scale is a hurricane force scale using the numbers 15 to rate a hurricanes intensity.
The scale provides examples of the type of damage and impacts in. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale sshws is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricanes sustained wind speed. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale is a 1 to 5 categorization based on the hurricane s intensity at the indicated time. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale from one to five based on the. Hurricanes introduction kids find weather fascinating. The classifications are used mainly to predict the. This constitutes a category 3 or higher on the saffirsimpson scale. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale is designed to help determine wind hazards of an approaching hurricane easier for emergency officials. It should be noted that most of the above guam typhoons experienced winds in excess of saffirsimpson hurricane category 5, in a number of cases substantially exceeding the most severe atlantic hurricanes experienced in the united states. Saffirsimpson hurricane scale cat 1 the saffirsimpson hurricane scale is a 15 rating based on the hurricanes present intensity. The all hazards guide has been published for more than 20.
The saffirsimpson hurricane scale, used in the united states, is shown below for comparison. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale is a 1 to 5 categorization based on the. Animation showing an example of hurricane wind damage as measured using the saffirsimpson scale. Saffirsimpson hurricane scale sam houston electric. Robert simpson explains saffirsimpson hurricane category. Saffirsimpson hurricane scale national weather service. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane s sustained wind speed. When a hurricane strikes, help may not be immediately available from the state or federal government. This is the fourth decade in which the saffirsimpson hurricane scale sshs.
Saffirsimpson scale has been listed as one of the natural sciences good articles under the good. Appendix c saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale c1 appendix d evacuation. The weather channel meteorologist mark elliot prepared a video titled why hurricane categories make a difference and explained what each category means. Nasa national aeronautics and space administration. Sustained winds of 70 miles per hour 115 km per hour lashed the florida peninsula, and rainfall totals of 5 inches cm were reported in some areas. Today, the saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale is a 1 to 5 categorization based on the hurricane s intensity at the indicated time. The scale is assigned to a hurricane based on its peak wind. The scale is based on measurements of sustained wind speed. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale classifies hurricanes into five categories based on. Know your communitys local hurricane evacuation plan and identify several. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall.
The scale is based on sustained wind speeds, storm surge, and potential property damage. The national hurricane center chooses only a speed range, not s separate range in each unit. A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, the generic term for a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics. Making a hurricane plan helps to mitigate the hazards.
Hurricanes reaching category 3 and higher are considered major. This scale is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale was developed in 1971 by herbert saffir a civil engineer and robert simpson a meteorologist. In august 2005, hurricane katrina hit the gulf coast as a category 3 storm, with sustained winds up to 140 mph. National hurricane operations plan archived july 8, 2011, at the wayback machine. Wind speed is the determining factor in this scale, as storm. Hurricanes are categorized according to wind speeds based on the saffirsimpson hurricane scale, from 1 to 5.
I removed the phrase with corresponding changes to the. A category 1 hurricane has slower winds than a category 5 hurricane. It is important to note that areas that have not prepared. Hurricane centers forecasts as well as local radio and television newscasts whenever a hurricane is in the gulf of mexico. Sustained winds of 7495 mph, 6482 kt, or 119153 kmhr. In hurricane katrina a storm that, on the saffirsimpson scale, exhibits winds in the range of 7495 miles per hour 119154 km per hour. Major hurricane day mhd four 6hour periods during which a hurricane has an intensity of saffirsimpson category 3 or higher. Its been 45 years since the saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale was unveiled, and the names of the monster storms it classifies are still referenced today camille, andrew, hugo, mitch. Personal hurricane plans will be even more important this year the saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale sshws is a tool that meteorologists use to measure the intensity of hurricanes.
Inventory use church mutuals inventory survey to record a complete written inventory of all your contents. The recently updated saffirsimpson scale engineering. High winds are measured according to the saffirsimpson hurricane scale. The 5 categories of wind speed indicate expected damage to structures. I know that this made a difference and helped them better understand what happens during each hurricane wind category. What to do before a hurricane planning insurance make sure you have adequate coverage for hurricane damage. The categories into which the scale separates hurricanes are noted by the strength of their maximum sustained wind speeds. Major hurricane mh a hurricane which reaches a sustained lowlevel wind of at least 111 mph 96 knots or 50 ms1 at some point in its lifetime.
Experimental saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale pdf. Visit to find useful information for residents, businesses and visitors of lee county in southwest florida. One piece of information youll hear about repeatedly while studying hurricanes is the saffirsimpson scale of cyclone intensity. G3 u6 l1 lesson 1 hurricane awareness noaa office for. Hurricane sandy was low on the saffirsimpson scale, but was the largest hurricane ever to form in the atlantic at 1,800 km, and can be reasonable considered an upper boundary, with typhoon tip at. Distribute copies of the shake, rattle, and roll worksheet.
Saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale national hurricane center. You just need to get started, and then encourage a friend, neighbor or family. The saffirsimpson team timothy schott, chris landsea, gene hafele, jeffrey lorens, arthur. Saffirsimpson hurricane scale the five categories are, in order of increasing intensity. Hurricane and tropical storm action plan liberty mutual. Saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale extended table pdf. Saffirsimpson hurricane scale is a measurement scale of hurricane wind and. The saffir simpson hurricane wind scale contains 5 categories of wind speeds. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale is a scale that is used to sort tropical cyclones in the western hemisphere. The student is provided with a copy of the saffir simpson scale and asked to produce a sketch for the effects of each category. Branching out with tree diagrams printable for either homework or classwork. Videographic explaining the saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale used to rate the strength and destructive power of a hurricane. To help students understand the data they are going to work with, discuss the saffirsimpson hurricane scale, used to categorize hurricanes according to strength. The scale is assigned five categories with category 1 assigned to a minimal hurricane and category 5 to a worst case scenario.
Category 3 and higher hurricanes are considered major hurricanes. Pdf a postlandfall hurricane classification system for the united. The recently updated saffirsimpson scale engineering express. In 2009, the nhc made moves to eliminate pressure and storm surge ranges from the categories, transforming it into a pure wind scale, called the saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale experimental sshws. The saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricanes sustained wind speed. Hurricanes reaching category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage. Saffirsimpson hurricane scale meteorology britannica. Sustained winds 3342 ms 7495 mph 6482 kt 119153 kmh storm surge 45 ft 1. Introduction hurricane and tornadoresistant concrete houses. A category 1 hurricane has winds of 74 to 95 mph and causes no substantial damage to buildings though areas on the coast may flood. Saffirsimpson scale article about saffirsimpson scale. Saffirsimpson hurricane wind scale explained video.
National weather service hurricane center, the saffirsimpson hurricane scale, 2012. The intensity of a hurricane is measured by the saffirsimpson scale. Saffirsimpson hurricane category chart and information. Saffir gave the scale to the nhc, and simpson added the effects of storm surge and flooding.