Is it Time to Revise the Way Meteorologists Rate Hurricanes?

A group of hurricane experts is advocating for a change to how agencies rate these tropical events. Read on for a closer look at what experts are promoting and how a new rating system could help forecasters better communicate the impending impacts.

Why Experts Say the Current Scale Falls Short

The currently used Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS) by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) relies solely on a storm's maximum sustained wind speed to classify hurricanes. Advocates of a new classification system point out that high winds are only responsible for less than 10% of all deaths associated with tropical weather.

Storm surge accounts for nearly 50% of all storm-related fatalities, while heavy rain is blamed on about 30% of the death toll. However, the hurricane scale does not take these hazards into account. The new proposed scale incorporates wind speeds, total rainfall amounts, and storm surge to classify a tropical weather event.

Meteorologists warn that not taking these factors into consideration is a disservice to the public, who need to know how to best prepare. For instance, many people will decide to stay put and not evacuate if a storm is classified as less than a Category 3 event. While the wind speeds may not be as hazardous with a Category 1 or 2 storm, that does not mean that the rainfall or storm surge may not prove to be deadly.