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Chris Mooney is a freelance writer and the author of two books, The Republican War on Science and Storm World.
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Sheril Kirshenbaum is a marine biologist at Duke University. Sometimes she's a classicist, radio jock, or congressional staffer. Never sure what's next, she continues to enjoy the journey...
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Category: Hurricanes
Posted on: July 23, 2008 9:15 AM, by Chris C. Mooney
This is not good. The pressure reported by the National Hurricane Center was 976, then 972, then 967....meanwhile, the storm has developed a perfect eye:
The Advanced Dvorak Technique, a computer program being run by folks at the University of Wisconsin that assesses storm intensity, now shows a major rapid intensification burst:
I can only expect that when the National Hurricane Center next reports, it will be calling this storm a Category 2 or even perhaps a Category 3....
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Comments
Just out of curiosity, who determined, and how, just where the demarcations would be for what determines tropical storm -> hurricane -> this category vs. that category? Why, for example, 74mph winds? Why not 75 or 70?!
Posted by: Ian | July 23, 2008 12:58 PM
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale came about in the early 1970's. It purpose is to predict damage to building and other structures on land. The demarcation of 74mph is somewhat arbitrary; however, unanchored mobile homes and trailers will tip over in winds above that value. The real intent seems to have been to keep the values "neat," 0-4 is a 5 unit increment.
Cat 1's will usually result in minimal damage, Cat 2's take off some roofs, damage mobile homes, Cat 3's take off roofs & awnings, cause extensive damage to mobile homes, Cat 4's damage structure walls, bring high storm surge, Cat 5's level houses, spawn tornadoes, bring storm surge that floods and so on.
Posted by: Onkel Bob | July 23, 2008 5:08 PM
Thanks, OB!
Posted by: Ian | July 24, 2008 7:59 AM
Chris, you'll appreciate the latest at xkcd.
http://xkcd.com/453/
Posted by: Kate | July 24, 2008 6:18 PM