All the experts are saying that Hurricane Rita is a catastrophic hurricane. I began to wonder just what that means. I know it means bad, but compared to what? I checked with the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory for definitions. Here's the description for a catastrophic hurricane:
Shrubs and trees blown down; considerable damage to roofs of buildings; all signs down. Very severe and extensive damage to windows and doors. Complete failure of roofs on many residences and industrial buildings. Extensive shattering of glass in windows and doors. Some complete building failures. Small buildings overturned or blown away. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Major damage to lower floors of all structures less than 15 feet above sea level within 500 yards of shore. Low-lying escape routes inland cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before hurricane center arrives. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of shore possibly required.
The different terms are: Minimal, Moderate, Extensive, Extreme, and Catastrophic. Wouldn't you know it's just like Texas to go for the biggest one?
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