Thanks to big storms such as Hugo and
Katrina, hurricanes are household names, known for sweeping in death and
destruction on winds capable of topping 150 mph. But unlike tornadoes, which
strike quickly and with little notice, hurricanes usually takes days to form.
The huge, swirling storms start as
tropical disturbances, when rain clouds build over warm ocean waters,
generating wind speeds less than 38 mph. If the winds of the rotating storm are
from 39 mph to 73 mph, it's labeled a tropical depression; at 74 mph, it
officially becomes a hurricane.
A hurricane's strength is based on its wind speed and ranked using the
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. A Category 1 storm is dangerous, but a Category
5 storm is likely catastrophic, bringing winds faster than 157 mph. Hurricanes
Hugo in 1989 and Katrina in 2005 were Category 5 storms. Though the high winds
can be treacherous, the greatest threat during a typical hurricane is the storm
surge, a wall of water that can be 100 miles wide and 15 feet deep and covers
the coastline when a hurricane lands.
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