Tropical Depressions, Tropical Storms, and Hurricanes all have different characteristics that are compared and contrasted in this video
Hurricane Beryl slammed Texas on Monday, and while Beryl was only a Category 1 cyclone, the storm caused widespread damage in places like Houston and Galveston, knocked out power to nearly 3 million and killed at least seven people in the U.S.
Category 1 hurricanes are the lowest category on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, but as seen with Beryl, they can still make quite an impact.
7 FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT HURRICANES
Category 1 hurricane explainer
(FOX Weather)
A Category 1 hurricane has maximum sustained winds of 74-95 mph, and according to NOAA, homes can sustain damage to roofs, gutters and other exposed areas. Diseased trees and weak branches are usually snapped by the strong winds.
Along the coast, a Category 1 hurricane can produce a storm surge from 4 to 5 feet. This rise in water level can cause localized erosion and flood low-lying areas.
On average, seven tropical storms strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane every season, with the first forming around August 11 and the last on November 15.
Memorable Category 1 strikes on the U.S.
Hurricane Nicole (75 mph) – 2022
- Landfall location: Vero Beach, Florida
- U.S. damage: < $1 Billion
- Hurricane Nicole made landfall near Vero Beach, Florida, on Nov. 10, 2022. Five deaths were tied to the storm that caused significant beach erosion in Central Florida.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 10: In this aerial view, homes are partially toppled onto the beach after Hurricane Nicole came ashore on November 10, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Nicole came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the state. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ( )
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In this aerial view, a seawall along a condo building is shown breached by Hurricane Nicole on November 10, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle)
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 10: Danny Sonn (L) and Warren Hoganson (R) help homeowner Nina Lavigna salvage what she can from her home after it toppled onto the beach as Hurricane Nicole came ashore on November10, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Nicole came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the state. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ( )
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 10: Homes are partially toppled onto the beach after Hurricane Nicole came ashore on November10, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Nicole came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the state. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle)
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Several homes sit damaged from severe beach erosion from Hurricane Nicole in Daytona Beach, FL. (Brandon Clement / LSM)
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Nicole made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Grand Bahama Island in the northwestern Bahamas on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022. ( )
Hurricane Isaias (85 mph) – 2020
- Landfall location: Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina
- U.S. damage: $4.8 billion
- Hurricane Isaias caused significant power outages and a tornado outbreak along the Eastern Seaboard. Nearly 3 million outages were reported from the Carolinas to New England, and at least ten deaths were attributed to the storm in the Lower 48.
Hurricane Isaias satellite
(NOAA)
Hurricane Florence (90 mph) – 2018
- Landfall location: Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
- U.S. damage: $24.2 billion
- Hurricane Florence was slow moving, which allowed the storm to weaken before landfall but led to significant flooding in the Carolinas. The hurricane strengthened to a Category 4 south of Bermuda but made landfall in the Tar Heel State as a Category 1. The hurricane holds the records for producing the most rainfall in South Carolina and North Carolina. NOAA reported at least 54 people were killed, and the storm’s name has since been retired.
Tropical rainfall map
(FOX Weather)
Hurricane Matthew (85 mph) – 2016
- Landfall location: McClellanville, South Carolina
- U.S. damage: $10 billion
- Matthew was the costliest natural disaster of 2016 and impacted every state from Florida to Virginia. At least 47 people were killed in the U.S. as the storm traveled up the seaboard while weakening. The hurricane peaked at Category 5 strength in the Caribbean but made landfall in South Carolina as a Category 1. Similar to Florence, the name Matthew was retired and will not be used again to name cyclones in the Atlantic basin.
Hurricane Matthew radar animation
(NOAA)