Rita and the Saffir-Simpson Scale
The final report on Hurricane Rita pegged her as a Category 3 when she hit the coast, with sustained 115 mph winds, but only a Category 1, with 80 mph winds, when it terrorized Beaumont.
Initial reports put the storm at 125 mph and 105 mph, respectively.
This week, we began putting together the annual hurricane guide, with a publication date in late May, just before hurricane season starts June 1. We're hoping for a bang-up job on this one.
Today, checking out a National Hurricane Center item we typically carry on hurricane intensity, I noticed something that made me wonder whether the final Rita report was a bit off.
Hurricane intensity is based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. I don't know who Saffir or Simpson are, but their scale is based on intensity of 1 to 5, with 1 being the wimpiest and 5 being a city killer.
This scale is used to estimate damage, due to wind, flooding, storm surge and falling trees.
Beaumont residents in particular should check this out and figure out for themselves what hit us:
Category 1 hurricane
Winds 74 to 95 mph. Storm surge generally 4 to 5 feet above normal. No real damage to structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.
Category 2 hurricane
Winds 96 to 110 mph. Storm surge generally 6 to 8 feet above normal. Some damage to building roofs, doors and windows. Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown down. Considerable damage to mobile homes, poorly constructed signs and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2 to 4 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings.
Category 3 hurricane
Winds 111 to 130 mph. Storm surge generally 9 to 12 feet above normal. Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by battering of floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 feet above mean sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences with several blocks of the shoreline may be required.
Category 4 hurricane
Winds 131 to 155 mph. Storm surge generally 13 to 18 feet above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore.
Category 5 hurricane
Winds greater than 155 mph. Storm surge generally greater than 18 feet above normal. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. All shrubs, trees and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of the shoreline may be required.
I'm no meteorologist, but based on this scale, it seems obvious to me that the coast got a strong Category 3, and Beaumont got a stout Category 2. It says "Some trees blown down" and "Some damage to roofs ... "
I'd say more than "some" of our trees blew down, and there are lots of blue roofs out there now.
What do you think?
Initial reports put the storm at 125 mph and 105 mph, respectively.
This week, we began putting together the annual hurricane guide, with a publication date in late May, just before hurricane season starts June 1. We're hoping for a bang-up job on this one.
Today, checking out a National Hurricane Center item we typically carry on hurricane intensity, I noticed something that made me wonder whether the final Rita report was a bit off.
Hurricane intensity is based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. I don't know who Saffir or Simpson are, but their scale is based on intensity of 1 to 5, with 1 being the wimpiest and 5 being a city killer.
This scale is used to estimate damage, due to wind, flooding, storm surge and falling trees.
Beaumont residents in particular should check this out and figure out for themselves what hit us:
Category 1 hurricane
Winds 74 to 95 mph. Storm surge generally 4 to 5 feet above normal. No real damage to structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.
Category 2 hurricane
Winds 96 to 110 mph. Storm surge generally 6 to 8 feet above normal. Some damage to building roofs, doors and windows. Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown down. Considerable damage to mobile homes, poorly constructed signs and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2 to 4 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings.
Category 3 hurricane
Winds 111 to 130 mph. Storm surge generally 9 to 12 feet above normal. Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by battering of floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 feet above mean sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences with several blocks of the shoreline may be required.
Category 4 hurricane
Winds 131 to 155 mph. Storm surge generally 13 to 18 feet above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore.
Category 5 hurricane
Winds greater than 155 mph. Storm surge generally greater than 18 feet above normal. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. All shrubs, trees and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of the shoreline may be required.
I'm no meteorologist, but based on this scale, it seems obvious to me that the coast got a strong Category 3, and Beaumont got a stout Category 2. It says "Some trees blown down" and "Some damage to roofs ... "
I'd say more than "some" of our trees blew down, and there are lots of blue roofs out there now.
What do you think?
posted by Brian Pearson at 5:59 PM
1 Comments:
I'd say silsbee got hit by more than a 2.. we didnt have just some trees down.. Behind my house was basically leveled. And a lot more than just poorly constructed s igns were damaged. More like almost every single sign in the area was damaged/destroyed..
I do think the final reports were wrong..
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