Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale

Description

The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, or the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale for short, classifies hurricanes – Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms – into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds. To be classified as a hurricane, a tropical cyclone must have maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph. The highest classification in the scale, Category 5, is reserved for storms with winds exceeding 156 mph. The classifications can provide some indication of the potential damage and flooding a hurricane will cause upon landfall. Officially, the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale is used only to describe hurricanes forming in the Atlantic Ocean and northern Pacific Ocean east of the International Date Line. Other areas use different scales to label these storms, which are called "cyclones" or "typhoons", depending on the area. There is some criticism of the SSHS for not taking rain, storm speed, and other important factors into consideration, but SSHS defenders say that part of the goal of SSHS is to be straightforward and simple to understand. (via Freebase)

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