Category three hurricane

A hurricane with winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt or 178-209 km/hr).

Storm surge generally 9-12 ft above normal.

Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures.

Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down.

Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed.

Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane.

Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by battering from floating debris.

Terrain continuously lower than 5 ft above mean sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles (13 km) or more.

Evacuation of low-lying residences with several blocks of the shoreline may be required.

Hurricanes are rated on a 1-5 scale based on the hurricane's intensity.

The scale is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall.

Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf in the landfall region.

See: Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale.