New Scale Seeks to Rank Hurricanes by Total Hazards
New Scale Seeks to Rank Hurricanes by Total Hazards
US · Published Sep 13, 2025
A new Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale is proposed to include storm surge and rainfall flooding in hurricane ratings.
The new scale may introduce a Category 6 to account for storms with multiple extreme hazards.
Improved hazard messaging aims to enhance public preparedness and reduce the impact of severe weather events.
New scale considers surge and rainfall
A new approach to ranking hurricanes is being proposed to better reflect the total hazards they present. Currently, the Saffir-Simpson scale, which primarily uses wind speed to categorize hurricanes, may not fully capture the potential for devastation caused by storm surge and rainfall flooding. Researchers are advocating for a more comprehensive Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale that incorporates these additional factors to provide a more accurate assessment of a storm's overall threat.
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