The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale classifying most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the levels of "tropical depression" and "tropical storm" and thereby become hurricanes; the "categories" it divides hurricanes into are distinguished by the intensities of their respective sustained winds. The classifications are intended primarily for use in gauging the likely damage and flooding a hurricane will cause upon landfall. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is used only to describe hurricanes forming in the Atlantic Ocean and northern Pacific Ocean east of the International Date Line. Other areas label their tropical cyclones as "cyclones" and "typhoons", and use their own classification schemes.

History

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The scale was developed in 1969 by civil engineer Herbert Saffir and Bob Simpson, at that time the director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

The initial scale was developed by Saffir while on commission from the United Nations to study low-cost housing in hurricane-prone areas. While performing the study, Saffir realized there was no simple scale for describing the likely effects of a hurricane. Knowing the utility of the Richter magnitude scale in describing earthquakes, he devised a 1–5 scale based on wind speed that showed expected damage to structures. Saffir gave the scale to the NHC, and Simpson added in the effects of storm surge and flooding. The scale does not take into account rainfall or location, which means a Category 2 hurricane that hits a major city will likely do far more damage than a Category 5 hurricane that hits a rural area.

Categories

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The five categories are, in order of increasing intensity:

All wind speeds are based on a one-minute average. Central pressure values are approximate. Intensity of example hurricanes is from both the time of landfall and the maximum intensity.

Here is an animation done by the Associated Press that illustrates the damage of the various scale levels: Saffir-Simpson Scale Animation

Category 6

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There is no such category on this scale, and any mention of a Category 6 tropical cyclone is incorrect.

According to Robert Simpson, there is no reason for a Category 6 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale because it is designed to measure the potential damage of a hurricane to man-made structures http://www.novalynx.com/simpson-interview.html. If the speed of the hurricane is about 156 mph, then the damage to a building will be "serious no matter how well it's engineered". However, the result of new technologies in construction leads some to suggest that an increase in the number of categories is necessary. This suggestion was emphasized after the devastating effects of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. During that year Hurricane Emily, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, and Hurricane Wilma all became Category 5 hurricanes. A few newspaper opinionists and scientists have brought up the suggestion of introducing Category 6 since then.http://ezinearticles.com/?Saffir-Simpson-Category-Six-Super-Hurricane-Wilma&id=84386 http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Science/story?id=1986862&page=1

See also

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• Beaufort scale - For winds less intense than hurricane strength.
• Fujita scale - For tornado intensity with damage correlated to wind speeds. The system was also intended for applicability in hurricanes and indeed is utilized by engineers in hurricane damage assessment.
• Severe weather terminology
• Tropical cyclone

References

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External links

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• Descriptions of the likely damage and flooding caused by each category of hurricane - The National Hurricane Center
• An Interview with Dr. Robert Simpson - The Mariners Weather Log, April 1999
• Q&A with Herbert Saffir - The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 2001

Scales | Tropical cyclone meteorology | Winds

Escala Saffir-Simpson | Saffir-Simpson-skalaen | Saffir-Simpson-Hurrikan-Skala | Escala de huracanes de Saffir-Simpson | Échelle de Saffir-Simpson | Escala de Furacáns Saffir-Simpson | 사피어-심프슨 허리케인 등급 | סולם ספיר-סימפסון | Saffir–Simpson-féle hurrikánskála | Schaal van Saffir-Simpson | サファ・シンプソン・ハリケーン・スケール | Saffir–Simpson-skalaen | Skala Saffira-Simpsona | Escala de Furacões de Saffir-Simpson | Шкала ураганов Саффира-Симпсона | Saffirin-Simpsonin hurrikaaniasteikko | Saffir–Simpson-orkanskalan | Thang bão Saffir-Simpson | Saffir-Simpson Kasırga Ölçeği | Шкала ураганів Саффіра-Сімпсона | 萨菲尔-辛普森飓风等级