The National Hurricane Center on Thursday morning stated that the first tropical depression of the 2009 hurricane season has formed off the East Coast, well north of Florida.
Posted - Thursday, May 28, 2009 11:11 AM EDT
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STORM PREP:
Click to read Hurricane Season 2009 You can save, copy and print the guide (PDF format), and use the live web links inside to show more information. |
Season's first tropical depression forms off East Coast
The 2008 hurricane season brought the Keys a close brush with Hurricane Fay.
There's a 70 percent chance of having nine to 14 named storms this hurricane season, of which four to seven could become hurricanes, including one to three of them major.
Posted - Friday, May 22, 2009 01:51 PM EDT
HURRICANE RESEARCH
Public’s storm response analyzedNational weather forecasting officials say they’re trying to learn from how the public responds to severe weather warnings.
Posted - Friday, March 13, 2009 10:10 AM EDT
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Watching the tropicsCurrent tropical activity
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| The NHC graphic shows any current tropical systems and areas being watched for potential tropical disturbance development. | ||
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The Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale
Hurricanes are ranked in terms of wind strength according to the Saffir-Simpson scale, from Category 1 to Category 5:
Category 1: Winds of 74 mph to 95 mph (central barometric pressure generally 28.94 inches or less), generating a 4-foot to 5-foot storm surge. Minimal damage
Category 2: Winds from 96 mph to 110 mph, storm surge 6 feet to 8 feet. Moderate damage.
Category 3: Winds from 111 mph to 130 mph, storm surge 9 feet to 12 feet. Extensive damage. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was a Category 3 hurricane at landfall in Louisiana.
Category 4: Winds from 131 mph to 155 mph, storm surge 13 feet to 18 feet. Extreme damage. Hurricane Charley was a high Category 4 when it slammed Punta Gorda in 2004.
Category 5: Winds greater than 155 mph, causing storm surge 18 feet and higher. Catastrophic damage. Only three Category 5 hurricanes have hit the United States: the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 in the Upper Keys, Hurricane Camille on the Gulf Coast in 1967, and Hurricane Andrew, which destroyed much of south Miami-Dade in 1992.
