The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale classifies hurricanes into five categories based on maximum sustained wind speed. It estimates potential property damage and gives emergency managers and the public a quick reference for the expected impact of an approaching storm. The scale does not account for rainfall, flooding, or storm surge, which are often the deadliest aspects of a hurricane.
Some damage. Well-constructed frame homes may sustain damage to roofing materials, vinyl siding, and gutters. Large tree branches snap. Extensive power outages lasting several days.
Example: Hurricane Dolly (2008, Texas)
Extensive damage. Major roof and siding damage to well-built homes. Many shallow-rooted trees snapped or uprooted. Near-total power loss lasting days to weeks.
Example: Hurricane Arthur (2014, North Carolina)
Devastating damage. Well-built frame homes may sustain major roof damage or removal. Many trees snapped or uprooted. Electricity and water unavailable for days to weeks.
Example: Hurricane Ivan (2004, Alabama)
Catastrophic damage. Well-built frame homes can sustain severe structural damage with loss of most of the roof and some exterior walls. Power outages lasting weeks to months. Most of the affected area uninhabitable for weeks to months.
Example: Hurricane Harvey (2017, Texas) · Hurricane Ian (2022, Florida)
Catastrophic damage. A high percentage of frame homes will be destroyed with total roof failure and wall collapse. Power outages lasting weeks to months. Most of the affected area uninhabitable for weeks to months.
Example: Hurricane Michael (2018, FL Panhandle) · Hurricane Andrew (1992, Florida)
The Saffir-Simpson Scale rates wind speed only. It does not measure or predict storm surge, rainfall, flooding, or tornadoes, which frequently cause more deaths and damage than wind.
• Hurricane Katrina (2005) made landfall as a Category 3 storm but produced a 28-foot storm surge that devastated the Mississippi coast.
• Hurricane Harvey (2017) dropped over 60 inches of rain on parts of southeast Texas despite making landfall as only a Category 4.
• Hurricane Florence (2018) was a Category 1 at landfall but caused catastrophic inland flooding.
Never use the category number alone to judge your risk. A Category 1 hurricane can be more dangerous than a Category 3 depending on storm surge, rainfall rate, forward speed, and your specific location.
Organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a closed low-level circulation. Not yet named.
The system is given a name from the predetermined list. Tropical storm warnings mean conditions expected within 36 hours.
A former tropical cyclone that has lost its tropical characteristics but may still produce dangerous winds, rain, and surge.
Storms rated Category 3 or higher (111+ mph sustained winds) are classified as major hurricanes. Major hurricanes account for only about 20 percent of all tropical cyclone landfalls in the United States but cause more than 80 percent of all hurricane-related damage.
Emergency managers treat the major hurricane threshold as a critical planning benchmark. If a major hurricane is forecast to affect your area, evacuation orders for coastal zones are almost certain.
Category 1 is 74 to 95 mph with dangerous winds. Category 2 is 96 to 110 mph with extremely dangerous winds. Category 3 is 111 to 129 mph and is the start of the major hurricane classification. Category 4 is 130 to 156 mph with catastrophic damage expected. Category 5 is 157 mph or higher with the potential for total structural destruction.
A Category 3 hurricane has sustained winds of 111 to 129 mph and can cause devastating damage to well-built structures. A Category 5 hurricane has sustained winds of 157 mph or higher and can destroy a high percentage of frame homes with total roof failure and wall collapse. The difference in destructive potential is exponential, not linear.
No. The Saffir-Simpson Scale measures only sustained wind speed. It does not account for storm surge, rainfall, flooding, or tornadoes. Storm surge is determined by a storm's size, speed, angle of approach, and the local coastal geography, not just its wind speed category.
A major hurricane is any hurricane rated Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, meaning sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. Major hurricanes cause a disproportionate amount of damage and are treated as critical threats by emergency management agencies.
Yes. Four Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the United States: the Labor Day Hurricane (1935, Florida Keys), Hurricane Camille (1969, Mississippi), Hurricane Andrew (1992, Florida), and Hurricane Michael (2018, Florida Panhandle).
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