Why does wind damage scale with the cube of velocity?

[Wannabeagenius]

Hi Guys,

I understand that the energy associated with wind damage from a hurricane goes as the third power of the velocity of the wind.

How is this relationship derived? I ask because when I think of wind energy, I think of Kinetic Energy going as the square of the velocity. Intuitively, this third power does not seem correct!

Thank you,
Bob

 

[russ_watters]

Energy in moving air comes from both velocity and pressure. The pressure component is linear with energy.