[gfmucci]

Originally Posted by 784caroline

If its not a direct hit, from a personal perspective, I am more comfortable wth CBS be it a tornado or a more likely occurance a hurricane.

This far inland, a frame home will do fine. A hurricane bearing down on coastal areas will lose at least 1, maybe 2 categories of intensity after traveling the 65 miles inland necessary to hit The Villages - even from the optimum coastal landfall point at Homosassa due west of TV.

Here are the categories of hurricanes and the damage they do. Whatever hits the coast is likely to be 2 categories less intense when if there was a DIRECT hit on TV.

Category One Hurricane:
Winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt or 119-153 km/hr). No real damage to building structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs.

Category Two Hurricane:
Winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt or 154-177 km/hr). Some roofing material, door, and window damage of buildings. Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown down. Considerable damage to mobile homes, poorly constructed signs, and piers.

Category Three Hurricane:
Winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt or 178-209 km/hr). 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.

Category Four Hurricane:
Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane.

Category Five Hurricane:
Winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr). Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. All shrubs, trees, and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage.

So, these things have to happen to create a worst case danger to TV homes:
- Hit the coast within 50 miles of Homosassa
- Be a category 5
- Head due east toward TV

The odds of this are very slim and would result in a cat 3 or weak cat 4 worst case. The greatest damage from hurricanes comes from storm surge along immediate coastal areas. We certainly don't need to worry about that.

The bigger danger from hurricanes is the spin-off tornado event. These occur somewhat inland from the coast. Again, no home would be immune from this.

I live within a half mile from the Gulf coast in Destin Florida. I made sure I had hurricane shutters and I used them 3 times in the past 4 years. I feel no need for hurricane shutters in TV.