For the last few years, I have opined about the inadequacy of the Saffir — Simpson scale for conveying the full impacts of hurricanes. Harvey (2017), Milton (2024) and Helene (2024) are examples of ...

Wind alone does not account for all hurricane-related fatalities. Storm surge and rainfall do as well. Yet the current warning system—the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale—measures a storm's ...

As climate change continues to reshape the intensity and behavior of hurricanes, meteorologists and researchers are examining whether the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, a decades-old ...

A University of South Florida researcher and a team from the Netherlands are proposing a new way to measure hurricane severity. Jennifer Collins had been studying evacuation patterns when she saw ...

The current hurricane classification does not consider storm surge and rainfall risks, which cause almost 80% of hurricane-related deaths. A new scale could help people better prepare for storms. When ...

Hurricane Erin reached Category 5 status with 160 mph winds on Saturday, August 16th. Erin is expected to continue intensifying. While researchers have proposed a Category 6 for hurricanes exceeding ...

When you hear terms like Category 1, Category 3 or even the rare Category 5 mentioned regarding hurricanes, what is being discussed is the classification system for hurricanes based on their winds.

Georgia Tech expert Zachary Handlos joins a growing conversation about whether the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale adequately reflects the full range of hurricane hazards in a changing climate.

Storm surge and rainfall — not wind — cause the majority of hurricane deaths, yet are absent from the current warning system. Researchers developed and tested the Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale, ...