What Category of Winds in a Hurricane Will Destroy My House?

We can all envision intense wind speeds tearing apart a house or building along the coast of a distant shore as a hurricane or typhoon rips through an area. But what is the big difference between a category 4 hurricane and a category 5? Is it really that much more intense? And what about the storm surges?

If you have ever wondered what it might feel like to be swept up in the winds of a hurricane as intense as Katrina and others, visit the online interactive tool Hurricanes 2006. This tool will put you in the action of a tropical cyclone as you see a house being torn apart and leveled by a storm surge. In addition, you will find details on Atlantic hurricanes from 1851 through 2004. The path, development, and dissipation of each of the storms is mapped and analyzed in graphical format. Although the animation is for anyone wanting to understand the Saffir-Simpson Scale ratings for tropical cyclones, it is also a great classroom demonstration tool for teachers and students. Using this activity as a part of a lesson plan would be a very visual tool allowing students to feel like real storm chasers! Read more...