| Category | Wind Speed | Expected Damage | |----------|-------------|------------------| | 1 | 74–95 mph | Very dangerous winds – minimal roof/siding damage | | 2 | 96–110 mph | Extensive – major roof/siding damage, uprooted trees | | 3 | 111–129 mph | Devastating – structural damage, widespread power loss | | 4 | 130–156 mph | Catastrophic – roof failure, long-term outages | | 5 | 157+ mph | Complete destruction – weeks to months uninhabitable |
We saw this with Hurricane Michael in 2018, which exploded from a tropical storm into a Category 5 monster in what felt like the blink of an eye. We saw it with Ian in 2022 and Otis in Acapulco in 2023. This shift has stolen our most valuable resource: time. In the past, you could board up a house over three days. Now, a storm can go from a tropical depression to a catastrophic hurricane in 48 hours, turning preparation into a frantic scramble. hurricane season in us
If you leave, you face gridlock traffic. A six-hour drive to safety can turn into a twenty-hour crawl on I-95 or I-10. You spend hundreds of dollars on hotels, not knowing if you will have a home to return to. You risk being stuck in the storm on the highway—a terrifying prospect. | Category | Wind Speed | Expected Damage
: The strong winds can knock down power lines and poles, leading to extensive power outages that can last for days or even weeks. In the past, you could board up a house over three days