In order to categorizing hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons researchers had to discover a method to identify different levels of intensity in terms of harm and severity.  Based on maximum wind speeds and storm surge, a hurricane scale was created, which ranges from Level 1 to Level 5.  The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale was created to monitor and rank the intensities of hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons.

When investigating the power of these storms, meteorologists evaluate their maximum wind speeds as well as storm surge.  A storm surge is a speed of water that comes onshore from the low-pressure storm, like those in a tropical cyclone.  Typically, it’s the high winds of the storm that drive the water further onshore.  The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is employed to categorize hurricanes influencing the United States, but other areas on earth use other ways of rating their storms.  The scale doesn’t take into account the amount of rainfall or location, meaning that a Level 2 hurricane which hits a major city will probably do more destruction than a Level 5 hurricane that hits a rural area.

Level 1 storm’s are regarded as being rather weak and usually produce minimal amount of harm to trees, bushes, and mobile houses.  Storms within the Level One category will achieve wind speeds between 74-95 miles per hour and their storm surge will reach 4 to 5 feet.  Level 2 is considered to be an average storm and results in obvious destruction of trees and mobile houses, along with piers.  This kind of storm has been able to rip the shingles from roofs and lead to more damage to the tops of houses.  The wind speeds in a Level Two storm can reach between 96-110 miles per hour as well as their storm surge reaches 6-8 feet.

Level 3 is considered powerful and is known for blowing down trees or stripping the leaves from the branches.  Mobile houses will probably be ruined within these kinds of storms and destruction of other types of buildings can also be very likely.  Level Three storms reach wind speeds as high as 111-130 miles per hour and the storm surge reaches 9-12 feet.  Level 4 storms are considered to be very strong having the ability to produce substantial harm to houses, including the windows, doors, and roofs.  When living nearby the shoreline, the destruction might be a lot more devastating.  The probability of flooding is high when this kind of storm hits.  Level Four storms attain wind speeds of up to 131-155 miles per hour plus the storm surge reaches 13-18 feet.

Level 5 is regarded as the worst level of hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons.  Smaller buildings are going to be overturned or blown away with the winds from the Level Five storm.  The structural destruction been given from this category hurricane or storm is extremely serious, with wind speeds reaching 156 plus miles per hour.  The storm surge in a Level Five storm is 19 plus feet.  It’s within this category that Hurricane Katrina was positioned with maximum wind speeds of over 175 miles per hour.

The Saffir-Simpson scale is used to provide an estimate of the possible damage to property and flooding expected along the coastline from the hurricane landfall.  Wind speed will be the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are hugely dependent on the slope of the continental shelf within the landfall area.  A category five, or “catastrophic” hurricane has wind speeds more than 155 miles per hour and can result in total failure on roofs of houses and industrial buildings and significant damage to constructions less than 15 feet above sea level within 1,500 feet of shore.  A category five storm needs evacuation of all residential areas on low-lying ground within 5 to 10 miles of the shoreline.

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