Recent intense storms sparks debate of adding Category 6 to hurricane scale
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published earlier this week proposes creating a Category 6, which would apply to storms with 193 mph winds or more.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Saffir-Simpson scale is how we have been classifying hurricanes since the 1970′s. But some scientists say what we’ve been using for decades doesn’t communicate the dangers of storms sufficiently.
Ranking from Category 1 to 5, each classification is based on how strong the wind speeds of a storm are. At the low end of the Saffir-Simpson scale, Category 1 describes wind speeds of 74 to 95 mph. At the other extreme, Category 5 is used for storms with wind speeds of 158 mph or greater.
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published earlier this week proposes creating a Category 6, which would apply to storms with 193 mph winds or more. The study’s authors say that climate change is the main reason for the proposed change.
While multiple studies have found that climate change is not necessarily expected to increase the number of hurricanes that strike each year, the warmer ocean temperatures will strengthen those that do form. A warmer atmosphere can also hold more moisture, which means these storms can produce heavier rainfall and catastrophic flooding.
In their study, the researchers looked at hurricanes from 1980 to 2021 and found that five storms in those last nine years had peak winds greater than 192 mph. The scientists argued that these hurricanes could have been classified as Category 6 storms.
However, other experts have argued that adding a Category 6 would increase the likelihood that people would underestimate storms that rank much lower, citing that storms of any strength can be deadly.
Something else that scientists have debated about for decades is the sole ranking of the Saffir-Simpson scale is based on wind speeds and does not take into account storm surge, which for years has proven to be one of the deadliest and more destructive aspects of a hurricane, in addition to rainfall and flooding.
In response to this study, The National Hurricane Center announced Tuesday that it will begin issuing a new experimental forecast this summer for tropical storms, updating their existing cone graphics that show a storm’s potential track. The new forecasts will include inland tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings that are in effect, in a bid to better convey inland wind risks during extreme weather events, the agency said.
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