Cat 1 and Up: How Strong A Hurricane Could You Survive?

With the cleanup from Hurricane Harvey's devastation barely underway, Hurricane Irma continues churning across the south Atlantic and into the Caribbean. Though most predictions have this (for now) Category 5 hurricane turning north and avoiding the Gulf of Mexico, everyone from the tiniest island to Florida's largest cities are bracing - even evacuating - for this latest storm.

But what exactly is the difference in hurricane strengths? Well, by the numbers, a Cat 1 storm has winds between 74 - 95 mph, while a markedly more severe Cat 5 blows in excess of 157 mph. But what exactly does that mean to property, i.e., houses, office buildings, even bridges and other major infrastructure? Well, as this video so perfectly demonstrates, while your home might easily survive a 1, anything above that a legitimate threat to your property...and your life.