What constitutes a windstorm?
Asked by: Marcelo Kautzer | Last update: January 3, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (62 votes)
What classifies as a windstorm?
Definition. A windstorm is a storm with high winds or violent gusts that are strong enough to cause at least some damage to trees and buildings. Windstorms usually involve wind speeds that exceed 34 mph.
What is the legal definition of a windstorm?
The term "windstorm" means any storm with a damaging or destructive wind component, such as a hurricane, tropical storm, northeaster, tornado, or thunderstorm.
What is considered a storm wind?
A storm has a wind speed of around 47 mph or more, or Beaufort 9 according to the graphic above. From level 10 or around 55 mph, it is referred to as a severe storm, and from level 11 as a violent storm. At a wind force of 12 on the Beaufort scale, a storm has hurricane-force winds.
What is covered under a windstorm?
Windstorm insurance covers the types of excessively gusty events, such as hurricanes and cyclones, that are often considered vis major and so might be excluded from standard homeowners insurance policies.
What Is Windstorm Insurance? : Insurance Facts
Does a tornado count as a windstorm?
Windstorm insurance provides coverage for damage caused by high winds, including hurricanes, tornadoes, hailstorms, and other strong wind events. If you're wondering, "Does windstorm insurance cover hurricanes?" the answer is yes.
How does windstorm deductible work?
How wind deductibles work. Wind deductibles typically range from one to five percent of your home's insured value. In the case of wind damage, your standard deductible would not apply and your wind deductible would kick in. The Insurance Information Institute offers more details on how wind deductibles work.
What qualifies as a storm?
Classification. A strict meteorological definition of a terrestrial storm is a wind measuring 10 or higher on the Beaufort scale, meaning a wind speed of 24.5 m/s (89 km/h, 55 mph) or more; however, popular usage is not so restrictive. Storms can last anywhere from 12 to 200 hours, depending on season and geography.
What are the classification of winds?
Answer: Winds are primarily categorized into planetary (primary), periodic (secondary), and local (tertiary) winds. Planetary winds include trade winds, westerlies, and polar easterlies. Periodic winds encompass monsoon winds, land and sea breezes, and mountain and valley breezes.
What are the characteristics of a windstorm?
Windstorms are high-speed gusts or strong, sustained winds exceeding 34 miles per hour1. They're strong enough to inflict light-to-severe damage on trees and buildings, and can be accompanied by rain, snow, or hail.
What does windstorm exclusion mean?
A windstorm exclusion is a clause in an insurance policy that specifies the policy will not cover damage from windstorms. This means that if a windstorm damages your property, you cannot file a claim for the resulting damage.
What is considered unsafe wind?
"Damaging high wind" with sustained speeds greater than 58 mph, or frequent wind gusts greater than 58 mph. Damaging wind conditions are consistent with a high wind warning. "A High Threat to Life and Property from High Wind." "High wind" with sustained speeds of 40 to 57 mph.
Are there different types of windstorms?
Telling these tempests apart can be a tricky business, so we created this guide to the basics of different wind storms, from tornados to derechos, hurricanes to haboobs, and more.
What is the measure of a windstorm?
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale. Below is a table showing the Beaufort Scale with speeds in knots, miles per hour and kilometres per hour.
What is the definition of a named windstorm?
Named Windstorm means a storm system or its remnants that has been declared to be a tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane, or cyclone by the National Hurricane Weather Service, or that constitutes a post-tropical storm.
What wind speed can knock down trees?
At 55 to 63 mph, entire trees can be uprooted, and considerable structural damage can occur. It is important to stay indoors and away from windows during these conditions. Above 64 mph, expect widespread structural damage. This can include damage to buildings, vehicles, and trees.
Is a 22 mph wind strong?
Very low: Sustained wind speeds around 20 mph and or frequent gusts of 25 to 30 mph. Low: Sustained wind speeds around 21 to 25 mph and or frequent gusts of 30 to 35 mph. Moderate: Sustained wind speeds around 26 to 39 mph and or frequent gusts of 35 to 57 mph. There is usually a wind advisory for moderate wind.
What is defined as a strong wind?
Strong Wind consists of damaging winds, often originating from thunderstorms, that are classified as exceeding 58 mph. In the National Risk Index, a Strong Wind Risk Index score and rating represent a community's relative risk for Strong Wind when compared to the rest of the United States.
Does insurance cover wind damage?
Is wind damage covered by home insurance? Yes, as noted above, homeowners insurance typically covers most types of wind damage. Usually, the dwelling coverage of your homeowners policy will help pay to repair or replace damage to the roof, siding or windows due to a wind event.
Is a 46 mph wind strong?
39 to 46 mph Wind breaks twigs and small branches. Wind generally impedes walking. 47 to 54 mph Structural damage occurs, such as chimney covers, roofing tiles blown off, and television antennas damaged. Ground is littered with many small twigs and broken branches.
What is considered a windstorm?
windstorm, a wind that is strong enough to cause at least light damage to trees and buildings and may or may not be accompanied by precipitation. Wind speeds during a windstorm typically exceed 55 km (34 miles) per hour.
What is the average windstorm deductible?
Costs of wind/hail deductibles are usually calculated in one of two ways, Bonelli says. Homeowners may pay a flat amount such as $1,000 or $2,000 per claim. Or, more commonly, homeowners may pay a percentage of their home insurance coverage, typically between 1 and 5 percent, according to the III.
What does 1% wind and hail deductible mean?
Let's say, for example, that you have $300,000 worth of coverage for your dwelling with a 1% wind/hail deductible. That means the amount of the wind or hail damage you're responsible for equals 1% of $300,000, or $3,000.