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In addition to the advisories, the National Hurricane Center <br />may issue a hurricane watch or warning. A hurricane watch <br />indicates that hurricane conditions are a possibility and may <br />threaten the area within 48 hours. A hurricane warning is <br />issued when winds of at least 74 mph are expected in the area <br />within 36 hours. <br />Advisories and hurricane watches and warnings will frequently <br />refer to the category of the storm. Hurricanes are classified <br />using the Saffir-Simpson scale as follows: <br />• Category 1: <br />Winds 74 to 95 mph <br />• Category 2: <br />Winds 96 to 110 mph <br />• Category 3: <br />Winds 111 to 130 mph <br />• Category 4: <br />Winds 131 to 155 mph <br />• Category 5: <br />Winds exceeding 155 mph <br />On average, 1.6 hurricanes strike the U.S. every year and <br />cause $1.2 billion in damages. Severe (category 3, 4 or 5 on <br />the Saffir-Simpson scale) strike the U.S. on the average of one <br />every 5.75 years. Experts sometimes disagree on the annual <br />cost; however, all sources agree that Hurricane Katrina is the <br />most costly recent hurricane event to affect the U.S. The <br />Insurance Information Institute estimates that the cost of <br />Hurricane Katrina was $45.148 billion (Based on estimated <br />insured losses for property coverage and adjusted to 2009 <br />dollars). <br />High winds, storm surge, powerful waves, torrential rain, <br />tornadoes, and high tide combined give hurricanes the <br />potential to create mass devastation and huge losses to <br />property. The greatest threat to life and property associated <br />with a hurricane or tropical storm is storm surge. Storm surge <br />is a large dome of water often 50 to 100 miles wide that <br />sweeps across the coastline near where a hurricane made <br />landfall. The surge of high water, topped by waves, can be <br />extremely destructive to coastal regions, even if vegetation - <br />topped dunes protect them. The stronger the hurricane and <br />the shallower the offshore water, the higher the surge will be. <br />In addition, if the storm surge arrives at the same time as the <br />high tide, the surge height will be even greater (National <br />Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). <br />Indian River County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Basic Page 8 <br />