Hurricane Damage Wind Speeds. What to Know

Living in Florida, you probably have seen your fair share of hurricanes, but how much do you actually know about them? Do you know the hurricane damage categories? What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning? Here at Your Insurance Attorney, our team is here to make sure you have all the information you need to stay safe this season. You can count on our property damage attorney Miami. 

 

You Are a Hurricane Expert

From late May to November, South Florida residents must stay vigilant and prepared for hurricane season. There are many ways to be prepared for a hurricane, but one you might not have considered is educating yourself on the terminology that the media and weather authorities will use when speaking about a hurricane.

 

If you are new to the southwest Florida area, you might not have heard all these terms before, and it’s essential to understand what these terms mean so you’ll have a better understand the seriousness of the situation.

 

Hurricane Terms You Must Know

• Evacuation Zone: The area in which the hurricane may impact.
• Storm Surge: Abnormal rise of the tide, overpredicted tides and can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas. 
• Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions are possible in a specific area
• Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected in a certain area.
• Wind Shears: Bursts of air that come straight down to the ground at a very high rate of speed and then spread out over the ground.
• Barometric Pressure: the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere
• Eye of the Storm: The very center of the storm. 
• Eye Wall: The part of the storm that surrounds the calm eye of the storm.
• Feeder Bands: Bands of storms that keep the hurricanes filled with energy and moving.
• Tropical Disturbance: Storms that have a little-organized direction of wind patterns.
• Tropical Storm: Winds have gathered intensity and are over 39 mph.

 

Hurricane Damage Categories

• Category 1 Hurricane: sustained winds of 74-95 mph
• Category 2 Hurricane: sustained winds of 96-110 mph
• Category 3 Hurricane: sustained winds of 111-129 mph
• Category 4 Hurricane: sustained winds of 130-156 mph
• Category 5 Hurricane: sustained winds of 157 mph or higher

A major hurricane is any hurricane from category 3 to category 5. These can produce catastrophic damage to property and major loss of life. 

 

Call Our Property Damage Attorney Miami Today

Make sure you are fully informed when it comes to dealing with hurricanes this season and hurricane damage categories. You need to stay safe! If your home has been damaged through some type of water damage, you have likely filed a claim with your insurance company. This can often take quite a bit of time, and some insurance claims even get denied or paid insufficiently, which is unsatisfying and can seem unfair. As an insurance lawyer locals trust, we don’t sit around waiting to see how your insurance company is going to help you, we talk directly with them and let them know what exactly you are entitled to. Best of all you incur no fees unless you win! Call our property damage attorney Miami today for more information. We are located in  Miami-Dade County.