What Would a Category 6 Hurricane Look Like? Experts Debate Expanding Storm Wind Scale

As ocean waters continue warming due to climate change and a growing hurricane wind field, hurricane experts are debating adjustments to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale to account for increasingly stronger storms.

However, this debate have many people wondering: what would a Category 6 hurricane look like?

What is the Current Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale?

The current scale classifies Category 5 hurricanes as having sustained winds over 157 mph, with lower categories descending at set wind speed thresholds.

Researchers have introduced a potential Category 6 designation, signifying winds exceeding 193 mph, to highlight escalating risks from supersized hurricanes enabled by global temperature rise.