This blog post summarizes an ongoing research program led by Dr. Steven Lazarus at the Florida Institute of Technology that collects real-time measurements of hurricane-force winds to better understand wind behavior and how it affects homes and structures.
I explain the goals, methods, and potential impacts of this work, and why these live measurements matter for improving construction standards and protecting communities in hurricane-prone regions.
Why direct measurements of hurricane winds matter
Capturing wind behavior in the field during an active storm provides a fidelity that laboratory tests and statistical models cannot always reproduce.
These observations reveal the nuances of gusts, turbulence and transient events that exert the most damaging forces on structures.
Limitations of traditional models
Most building codes and risk assessments rely on design curves and atmospheric models built from historical records and controlled experiments.
While those tools remain essential, they can miss short-duration extremes and localized effects that only show up when instruments are in the storm itself.
Dr. Lazarus’ field program: what it does and why it’s important
Dr. Steven Lazarus and his team deploy advanced sensors and monitoring equipment in hurricane-prone areas to collect live, high-resolution data on wind speed, direction, and patterns as storms pass.
The primary focus is on understanding how hurricane-force winds interact with homes, roofs, and other structural components.
Instruments and measurements
The research uses an array of wind sensors and monitoring platforms placed strategically around structures to capture both mean winds and short-duration peaks.
These measurements help identify where and how the largest loads occur on building elements, illuminating vulnerabilities that can be missed by averaged data.
What the data can change
By documenting real-world wind loads on buildings, the project seeks to inform practical improvements in building design and construction standards.
From measurements to code changes
When repeated, well-documented observations point to consistent failure modes or underestimated loads, standards bodies and code committees have solid evidence to revise guidance.
Over time, this can lead to stronger connections, better roof systems, and targeted reinforcement where it counts most.
Practical steps for resilience
Based on the kinds of vulnerabilities the team is studying, several practical actions can reduce damage and save lives.
These are the kinds of changes that detailed wind-monitoring programs help prioritize.
Live wind monitoring under real storm conditions closes the gap between research and real-world performance.
Here is the source article for this story: How real-time data estimates losses, improves homes | Latest Weather Clips