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hurricane categories

What Are Hurricane Categories and What Do They Mean?

Kit Kittlestad

3 months ago

When storm season rolls around, it can be confusing hearing all those different hurricane categories being thrown around. Which one is a minor inconvenience and which one could turn into a monumental disaster? Below, we’ll break down the hurricane definition, helping you to understand what each level of the scale may entail. 

More About Hurricane Categories

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is the primary scale used to categorize hurricanes. It ranges from Category 1 storms (the least dangerous) to Category 5 storms (the most dangerous). While a Category 6 hurricane hasn’t officially been added to the scale yet, it’s often talked about as storm seasons continue to escalate, year after year. 

Credit: Adobe Stock

Category 1: An Entry-Level Hurricane


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