...SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE INTENSITY SCALE...
A HURRICANE'S STRENGTH IS RANKED ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 5, A SYSTEM
KNOWN AS THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. CATEGORIES ARE DETERMINED BY
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE IN INCHES IN THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE,
WIND SPEED, STORM SURGE AND DAMAGE. A STORM SURGE IS A DOME OF
WATER THAT CAN BE AS WIDE AS 50 MILES AND AS HIGH AS 25 FEET
THAT IS BUILT UP BY A HURRICANE'S WINDS AND PUSHED ONTO SHORE
JUST BEFORE THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE.
|
CATEGORY
|
PRESSURE
(INCHES)
|
WIND
(MPH)
|
STORM SURGE
(FEET)
|
DAMAGE
|
|
CATEGORY 1
|
28.94 AND UP
|
74-95
|
4-5
|
MINIMAL
|
|
CATEGORY 2
|
28.50 - 28.93
|
96-110
|
6-8
|
MODERATE
|
|
CATEGORY 3
|
27.91 - 28.49
|
111-130
|
9-12
|
EXTENSIVE
|
|
CATEGORY 4
|
27.17 - 27.90
|
131-155
|
13-18
|
EXTREME
|
|
CATEGORY 5
|
27.17 OR LESS
|
155 OR MORE
|
18 OR HIGHER
|
CATASTROPHIC
|
weather.gov
