Home / Editor's Pick /

Category 6 addition? A new era of hurricane classification

10:00
12 February 2024

Category 6 addition?
A new era of hurricane classification

The need for innovation in the face of intensifying storms.The need for innovation in the face of intensifying storms.

Climate change is pushing the limits of the Saffir-Simpson scale, which is used to classify hurricanes, towards unprecedented thresholds.

Rising global temperatures are fuelling the power of tropical storms, causing wind speeds and destruction that far exceed category 5 thresholds. This development calls for an urgent revision of the Saffir-Simpson scale to include a category 6.

Limitations and shortcomings of the current scale

The Saffir-Simpson scale, introduced in the 1970s, is now proving inadequate for classifying increasingly powerful hurricanes. Category 5, defined for wind speeds in excess of 157 mph, no longer reflects the destructive potential of today's extreme storms.

In recent years, several hurricanes have reached or way exceeded this limit, without there being a higher category to classify them precisely. This situation poses a risk not only for communicating the danger to the public, but also for disaster preparedness and response.

Proposal for a category 6

Settings for external content

Privacy policy

Faced with this situation, researchers are proposing the addition of a category 6, for wind speeds in excess of 192 mph. This new category would better represent the severity and destructive potential of the most intense hurricanes, which are becoming increasingly frequent in a warming world.

Adopting such a measure would require an overhaul of storm preparedness and response systems, as well as an update of building codes and critical infrastructures. It would also underline the urgency of tackling the causes of climate change, to limit the future intensification of hurricanes.

Extending the Saffir-Simpson scale is a crucial step, according to these researchers, in adapting to the new climate reality. It would enable better risk assessment and more effective hazard communication, essential for protecting lives and property.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Monday 30 June 2025

Noctilucent cloud season

Shimmering clouds over UK and Ireland
Tuesday 1 July 2025

Not just the UK

Heatwave grips continental Europe
Wednesday 9 July 2025

30°C in London

Summer comeback in the UK
All weather news
This might also interest you
Thursday 3 July 2025

Gusty too

Rainfall passes through the north
Wednesday 9 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Overcast start, warmer afternoon
Thursday 3 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Pleasant for some, unsettled for others
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement