Weather Forecast Now logo
82° clear sky

hurricane categories

What Are Hurricane Categories and What Do They Mean?

Kit Kittlestad

10 months ago

When storm season rolls around, it can be confusing hearing all those different hurricane categories being thrown around. Which one is a minor inconvenience and which one could turn into a monumental disaster? Below, we’ll break down the hurricane definition, helping you to understand what each level of the scale may entail. 

More About Hurricane Categories

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is the primary scale used to categorize hurricanes. It ranges from Category 1 storms (the least dangerous) to Category 5 storms (the most dangerous). While a Category 6 hurricane hasn’t officially been added to the scale yet, it’s often talked about as storm seasons continue to escalate, year after year. 

Credit: Adobe Stock

Category 1: An Entry-Level Hurricane


Tags

Share

More Weather News