Hurricanes

2/10/2022 (Permalink)

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricanes

When most people think about hurricanes, they think about the wind. But it’s the water that usually does the most damage. Torrential rain can cause flash flooding, but a hurricane’s storm surge can be the most destructive and dangerous. 

As spring shifts to summer, south Floridians shift their attention to the upcoming hurricane season which begins June 1st and runs through November 30th. The 2021 season was another active year, with a total of twenty-one named storms, including seven hurricanes and four major hurricanes. Eight of these storms hit the United States coastal area, three of which hit Florida. South Florida was spared in 2021 by any major threats, as Tropical Storms Elsa and Fred had little to no impact other than rain.

Hurricanes are rated by categories ranging from one to five.  The winds increase with each category. The sustained wind speeds for each category are:

• Category 1 hurricane: 74-95 mph.
• Category 2 hurricane: 96-110 mph.
• Category 3 hurricane: 111-129 mph.
• Category 4 hurricane: 130-156 mph.
• Category 5 hurricane: 156+ mph.

A major hurricane is category 3 strength or higher and can be extremely dangerous to life and property, but it doesn’t take a major hurricane to produce significant impacts. All tropical systems that directly impact south Florida have been known to produce flooding, damaging winds, and tornadoes. It’s important to take every tropical cyclone seriously and keep up to date with tropical outlooks issued daily by the National Hurricane Center.

If your home is ever hit by a storm know here at SERVPRO OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY we are always ready to help you clean up after the storm.  

SERVPRO OF SANTA ROSA COUNTY                                 850-939-4700