Effects
Hurricane winds not only damage structures, but the barrage of debris they carry is dangerous to anyone unfortunate enough (or unwise enough!) to be caught out in them. High-rise buildings are also vulnerable to hurricane-force winds, particularly at the upper levels since wind speed tends to increase with height. For example, winds at the top of a 30-story building will average about 20 mph (32 km/hr), or one Saffir-Simpson category, higher than at the surface.
Windows in high-rise buildings are often blown out during tropical cyclones, so the areas around these buildings can be very dangerous. Planning activities should account for the effects from high winds in determining where citizens are encouraged to shelter-in-place during a storm. Additionally, preparations for re-entry activities may need to factor in protecting residents from any areas with high rise buildings that may have been damaged by high winds.