Hurricane Preparedness

THE POWER OF  HURRICANES

Walls torn from concrete buildings,  15-foot trees ripped from the earth,  20-foot waves crashing to shore. The power of hurricanes is awesome.

Hurricanes can spawn tornadoes. Floods and flash floods are generated by torrential rains that accompany hurricanes. Even more dangerous is the storm surge -- a dome of ocean water that, at its peak, can be 25 feet high and 50-100 miles wide. The surge can devastate coastal communities as it sweeps ashore.

A hurricane is a tropical weather system with winds that have reached a sustained speed of 74 mph or more. Hurricane winds blow in a large spiral around a relatively calm center, known as the "eye." The eye is generally 20-30 miles wide, and the storm may extend outward from it for 400 miles.

As a hurricane approaches, the sky darkens and winds strengthen. As it nears land, it can bring torrential rains, high winds and storm surges. A hurricane can stretch the entire length of the eastern seaboard. The 74-160 mph winds can extend inland for hundreds of miles.

Hurricanes are classified into five categories according to wind velocity. Category 1 is the mildest, with winds from 74-95 mph. Category 5 is the strongest, with winds above 155 mph.

August and September are peak months of hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30.