Editor's Note: 
Thomas A. Mierzwa, P.E., is a civil-structural engineer for LWG Consulting Inc.'s northeast region.
In the event of a tornado, hurricane, or severe tropical storm, the potential for damage to nearby buildings and civil structures is significant. This potential increases with various factors, such as the proximity of the storm event to the structure, age, construction quality, engineering, and materials used in construction.
For hurricanes and tropical storms, for example, structures along the coastline are at greater risk than structures built inland. The reason is there can be a substantial wind component on top of tidal surge and flooding that must be taken into consideration. For inland structures, the strength of the wind and tidal surges are less from hurricanes and tropical storms even though flooding can still result from heavy rainfalls. Tornadoes mostly impact inland structures in areas deemed to be at higher risk through analyzing historical weather patterns.
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