Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Context: TH
Context: Some experts are proposing the creation of a new hurricane category, Category 6, to account for increasingly intense tropical storms driven by climate change.
- Currently, the Saffir-Simpson scale, with five categories, tops out at Category 5, but storms with winds exceeding 192 mph would qualify for the new category.
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS) is a tool that helps emergency officials determine the wind hazards of an approaching hurricane. The scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane’s sustained wind speed.
The scale’s categories are:
- Category 1: A minimal hurricane
- Categories 3 to 5:Major hurricanes, which are considered to have the potential for significant loss of life and damage
- Category 5:A worst-case scenario
