What is a category 5 hurricane? How strong are winds? Is a cat 5 storm the worst hurricane? And what kind of damage can it cause? The chance for serious and severe weather, , including major hurricanes is real during hurricane season in Florida. This article is made to help you better understand a category five storm and its potential for serious damage. We give details on what a this type of hurricane is and some examples of recent Atlantic cat 5 storms.
FAQs
A category 5 hurricane is classified as a 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, according to the National Hurricane Center. This is the highest category of hurricane. And as such, it is classified as a major storm.
Category 5 hurricanes winds have sustained wind speeds at 157 mph or higher, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale shown on the National Hurricane Center website.
Yes. This category of storm can be extremely dangerous. It can cause “catastrophic damage”, according to the NOAA website.
Yes. It is the highest category of hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. So it is the worst.
According to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale on the NOAA website, this class of storm has the potential to destroy a high percentage of framed houses, cause total roof failure, cause walls to collapse, wipe out power and utilities, and make an area uninhabitable for weeks or longer. This category of storm can cause significant damage if it makes landfall.
This depends on the specific storm and your specific location along with the risks. We highly recommend signing up for a storm alert/weather advisory system. Always 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 5 Atlantic storms
The five most recent Atlantic storms that made landfall as a category 5 are listed below. The last such Florida hurricane was Hurricane Michael in 2018.
- Dorian, 2019, Caribbean (including the Bahamas)
- Michael, 2018, Florida
- Maria, 2017, Caribbean
- Irma, 2017, Caribbean & Cuba (also hit the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm and SWFL as a Category 3)
- Felix, 2007, Nicaragua
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 category 5 hurricane shutters, storm panels and impact windows.
If you need more information you can learn more about all your hurricane protection products 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.
