Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale: The 5 Categories, Wind Speeds, and Damage Levels

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is the 1-to-5 ranking that puts a number on a hurricane’s wind damage potential. It is announced before every Atlantic landfall, quoted in every storm forecast, and the source of the phrase “Category 5.” Below is what each category means, the famous storms that defined them, and what the scale does and does not measure.

How the Scale Was Built

Civil engineer Herbert Saffir was working on UN-funded low-cost housing in 1969 when he tried to estimate how much wind a building had to survive. He sketched a 1-to-5 scale based on damage thresholds, modeled on the Mercalli earthquake scale. Robert Simpson, then director of the National Hurricane Center, added storm surge and pressure data and made the scale public in 1971. It became the public-facing US hurricane ranking standard by 1973.

In 2009 the National Hurricane Center revised the scale to a wind-speed-only system, called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The change took effect for the 2010 Atlantic season. Storm surge and pressure dropped out because surge depends heavily on local geography and pressure correlations were inconsistent. The category number now reflects only the maximum sustained 1-minute wind speed at 33 feet above ground.

Below the Scale: Tropical Depression and Tropical Storm

Before a system reaches Category 1, it has two earlier stages. Tropical depression: sustained winds of 38 mph or less. Tropical storm: sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph. The Atlantic basin gives a tropical storm its name (the next on the rotating list) once it crosses the 39 mph threshold. A storm only becomes a hurricane at 74 mph.

The Five Categories

Category 1: 74 to 95 mph. “Very dangerous winds will produce some damage,” per the National Hurricane Center. Loose shingles peel off, vinyl siding cracks, large branches snap, and shallow-rooted trees come down. Power outages can last a day or two. Examples: Hurricane Hanna (2020), Hurricane Isaias (2020 at landfall).

Category 2: 96 to 110 mph. “Extensive damage.” Major roof and siding damage, mass tree damage, road blockages, multi-week power outages possible. Hurricane Frances (2004) and Hurricane Sally (2020) hit the Gulf Coast at Category 2.

Category 3: 111 to 129 mph. First “major” classification. “Devastating damage.” Well-built framed homes can lose roof decking. Trees snap in large numbers. Electricity and water outages from days to weeks. Hurricane Katrina (2005) struck the Mississippi-Louisiana coast as a strong Category 3 with 125 mph winds.

Category 4: 130 to 156 mph. “Catastrophic damage.” Severe damage to well-built homes, with loss of most of the roof structure and exterior walls. Most trees snapped or uprooted. Power outages last weeks to months. Hurricane Ian (2022, 150 mph), Hurricane Helene (2024, 140 mph at landfall), Hurricane Charley (2004), Hurricane Harvey (2017 at peak).

Category 5: 157 mph or higher. “Catastrophic damage.” A high percentage of framed homes are destroyed. Power outages last months. Some areas are uninhabitable for weeks or longer. Hurricane Andrew (1992, 165 mph at landfall over Homestead), Hurricane Michael (2018, 160 mph over Mexico Beach, FL), Hurricane Allen (1980, briefly 190 mph), Hurricane Wilma (2005, 185 mph at peak).

“Major Hurricane” Means Category 3 or Higher

The phrase has a specific NOAA definition. A “major hurricane” is any storm at Category 3 or above (111 mph winds and up). Major hurricanes account for the majority of US hurricane damage even though they make up a minority of total Atlantic storms. The annual NOAA hurricane outlook always announces an expected number of named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes separately.

What the Scale Does Not Measure

The Saffir-Simpson scale is a wind-speed scale. It does not score:

Storm surge. A Category 1 storm with a wide, slow track and a shallow coastline can produce a surge as deadly as a Category 4. Hurricane Sandy (2012) made landfall as a post-tropical cyclone, technically below hurricane strength, and still produced a 14-foot surge in New York Harbor.

Rainfall. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was a Category 4 at landfall, then weakened to a tropical storm. The damage came from 60 inches of rain over Houston, not from the wind. Hurricane Helene’s 2024 catastrophic flooding in western North Carolina, far inland, was a similar story.

Tornado activity. Most Atlantic hurricanes spawn tornadoes during landfall. The scale does not reflect this.

Storm size. Hurricane Andrew was a small, intense storm. Hurricane Sandy was massive but lower-intensity. The scale captures only the peak wind speed, not the area affected.

For the broader weather picture during hurricane season, see our explainers on El Nino and La Nina, and the atmospheric river piece for the West Coast counterpart.

Sustained Wind vs Wind Gusts

The category number reflects sustained wind speed (1-minute average at 33 feet). Wind gusts during the same hurricane can be 10 to 25 percent higher. A Category 3 storm with 125 mph sustained winds can produce gusts of 150 mph or more. NOAA reports both numbers in advisories, but the category itself is fixed to sustained.

Why There Is No Category 6

Some scientists have proposed a Category 6 for storms above 192 mph, citing increasing ocean heat content and more frequent extreme intensities. The National Hurricane Center has not adopted the change. The argument against: at Category 5, framed homes are already destroyed and the area is uninhabitable for weeks or months, so a Category 6 would not change emergency response. The category structure exists to drive public action, not to win academic debates. For now, 157 mph and up is the open-ended top of the scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale?

A 1-to-5 ranking of hurricane intensity by maximum sustained wind speed. Category 1 begins at 74 mph; Category 5 begins at 157 mph. Engineer Herbert Saffir and NHC director Robert Simpson developed it in 1971. The current wind-only version took effect in 2010.

What wind speed makes a Category 5 hurricane?

157 mph or higher sustained winds. The category is open-ended; there is no upper limit. Hurricane Allen in 1980 reached an estimated 190 mph briefly, and Hurricane Wilma in 2005 hit 185 mph at peak intensity.

What is a “major” hurricane?

NOAA defines a major hurricane as Category 3 or higher (111 mph winds or above). Major hurricanes cause the majority of US hurricane damage even though they are a minority of total storms.

What did the Saffir-Simpson scale used to measure?

The original 1971 scale combined wind speed, central pressure, and storm surge. The 2009 revision dropped pressure and surge because they correlate poorly with wind damage and depend heavily on local coastline shape. Since 2010 it has been wind-only.

Why is there no Category 6?

The National Hurricane Center has not added one. The argument: at Category 5, framed homes are already destroyed and an area is uninhabitable for months. A Category 6 would not change emergency response. The scale exists to drive public action, not to win academic debates.

Are wind gusts higher than the category indicates?

Yes. Gusts during a hurricane are typically 10 to 25 percent higher than the sustained 1-minute average that defines the category. A Category 4 with 140 mph sustained winds can gust above 170 mph.