What is a category 4 hurricane? What is the cat 4 wind speed? How bad is it? Is it the worst category hurricane? And what kind of damage can it cause? Hurricane season in Florida happens every year. And it presents a strong chance of severe weather, including major hurricanes. In order to properly prepare you need to know what a category 4 storm is and what kind of threats they can pose. This article is meant to help you better understand a category 4 storm so you can better protect your Florida home and family.
FAQs
According to the National Hurricane Center a category 4 hurricane is classified as a 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It is also classified as a major storm.
According to the National Hurricane Center Category 4 hurricanes have sustained wind speeds between 130 – 156 mph.
Yes. They are considered dangerous. A category 4 storm has the potential to cause “catastrophic damage”, according to the NOAA website.
According to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale on the NOAA website, a category 4 storm has the potential to cause severe, catastrophic damage to “well-built frame homes.” Homes have the potential to lose most of their roof and even exterior walls. This storm has the strength to break and uproot most trees and electrical poles. Also, complete loss is to be expected in terms of power and water. The area will be “uninhabitable” for a period of time after the storm. So it can cause a lot of damage.
This depends on the specific storm and your specific location along with the risks. It is recommended to sign up for a storm alert system. And it’s also advised that you follow the recommendations of your local weather service and your local authorities. You can find out more about Florida evacuation information at the Know Your Zone website.
Recent Category 4 Atlantic storms
Some of the more recent category 4 Atlantic storms that made landfall as a category 4 are listed below:
- Ida, 2021, Louisiana
- Iota, 2020, Nicaragua
- Eta, 2020, Nicaragua (Florida as a tropical storm)
- Laura, 2020, Louisiana
- Harvey, 2017, Texas
- Joaquin, 2015, Bahamas
- Ike, 2008, Cuba
- Gustav, 2008, Cuba
- Dennis, 2005, Cuba (Florida as a category 3)
- Charley, 2004, Florida, $16.3 BB in damages
How can you protect your home against a hurricane in Florida?
If you live in Florida you will need to protect both your family and home from hurricanes. When it comes to hurricane protection you can use hurricane shutters, storm panels and impact windows.
If you need more information you can learn more about all your hurricane protection options on the Eurex Shutters site. And if you need window protection for your home, including anywhere in Southwest Florida then we would love to help.
