Will Hurricane Classifications Change? (+How to Protect Your Home)

When we talk about hurricanes, the most common thing we cite about them is their ‘category.’ We assign hurricane classifications based on their wind speed to give ourselves a simple way to understand how dangerous the hurricane is and how heavily we should prepare for its impacts.

But, what are the hurricane classifications? What do they mean? Will our current hurricane classification system change in the near future? Most importantly, what can you do to protect your home and your family?

Here’s what everyone in Florida needs to know about hurricane classifications.

What Is the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale?

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale was the product of a joint development between Herbert Saffir, a structural engineer, and Robert H. Simpson, a meteorologist who was the Director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).

According to Britannica, the “tool was first adopted for use in 1975, and it is the official scale used to classify tropical cyclones occurring in the Atlantic Ocean and northern Pacific Oceans.” That makes the scale 50 years old as of this year.

Under the Saffir-Simpson hurricane classification scale, hurricanes are divided into five categories:

1. Category 1: Hurricanes with 74-95 mph sustained winds.
2. Category 2: Hurricanes with sustained winds between 96 and 110 mph.
3. Category 3: Hurricanes with 111-129 mph winds.
4. Category 4: Hurricanes with sustained winds between 130 and 156 mph.
5. Category 5: Any hurricane with winds of 157+ mph.

The Dangers of Underestimating Storms Based on Their Hurricane Classification

In Florida, there’s a tendency to treat category 1 hurricanes as ‘no big deal’ because we see major storms so often. However, this attitude towards big storms can be dangerous to homeowners.

Yes, Category 5 hurricanes almost always cause catastrophic damage over their area of effect, uprooting trees, throwing vehicles around, and even collapsing buildings with the sheer force of the wind they throw. They are labeled as the most dangerous class of hurricanes for a good reason.

However, even the lowest classification of hurricanes (Category 1 hurricanes) are capable of doing widespread damage to homes over a large area as they tear up roofing tiles/shingles, damage trees, and throw up heavy storm surges.

A Cat 1 hurricane can pick up small pieces of debris on the road and throw them into the side of your home, doing significant damage after many repeated impacts.

They can also cause massive flooding damage because of the heavy rain and storm surge they bring inland. When local sewage systems get overloaded and flood, that can bring dirty water to your doorstep and even into your home.

Also, storms might start at Category 1, but strengthen into Cat 2, 3, 4, or even 5 before making landfall

But, when we hear about Category 1 storms on the news, we may end up treating them as ‘not a big deal’ despite the risks they pose. Then, when the storm makes landfall, they may be surprised at the level of damage that the ‘weak’ storm causes compared to previous Cat 1 storms.

In fact, according to The Weather Channel, “Wind only accounts for 10% of fatalities in general… Storm surge accounts for closer to 50% and rainfall accounts for closer to 30%.” So, the thing that the current Saffir-Simpson hurricane classification system (wind) actually has the lowest impact on fatalities of any factor of a major hurricane.

Is It Time to Change the Hurricane Classification System?

In a recent article on Forbes, Dr. Jennifer Collins, a professor at the University of South Florida, was featured for her opinion on the need to update our current hurricane classification system.

As the article quotes, Dr. Collins noted that: “Frequently, people use the storm’s category to decide whether to evacuate, that’s incredibly dangerous because if they hear it’s only a tropical storm or Category 1, too often no alarm bells go off, and they see no cause for concern.” 

The problem with underestimating storms based on their category, as highlighted by Forbes in the article, is that “Florence killed 55 people but was ‘only’ a Category 1 storm.” Katrina was a Cat 3 hurricane, “but most of the 1,800 deaths and $125 billion in damage were caused by storm surge and rainfall.”

To correct the issues with the current hurricane classification system that measures storms based solely on wind speed, Dr. Collins proposes a new system called the Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale, or TCSS. Under this new system, storms would be classified by their wind, storm surge, and rainfall to classify them to “create a cumulative score of severity.”

If storm surge and rainfall cause the majority of fatalities, then including them in our assessments of storm severity seems like a natural evolution of the hurricane classification system.

What Is the Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale and How Does It Work?

The Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale is the proposed new hurricane classification system that measures three separate factors to determine the severity of storms and assign them a category:

You might have noticed that the wind portion of the new scale matches perfectly with the current Saffir-Simpson wind scale. 

The final classification of a storm under the new scale is determined by its highest threat category. For example, under TCSS, if a storm has 97 mph winds, a 10-ft storm surge, and only 4 inches of rain, it would be considered a category 3 storm based on its storm surge.

As noted by the Weather Channel’s article about TCSS, “If two high-risk hazards (Category 3 or higher) have the same category, then you add one category to the highest category of risks).” So, if you have a storm with 140 mph winds, 12 ft. storm surge, and 20 inches of rain, that would normally be a Category 4 storm under the Saffir Simpson scale. Under TCSS, however, it would be a Category 5 storm because you’d have two category four hazards making the storm more dangerous than wind speed alone would suggest.

It’s not certain if TCSS will replace the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale, but if it does happen, it could add more nuance to the way we assess storms. It could also make it easier to know when you should evacuate and when a storm is more dangerous than the wind speed alone would suggest.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Home and Family from Hurricanes?

Regardless of whether the current Saffir-Simpson gets replaced by TCSS, it’s important to plan ahead for major storms. The sooner you can take precautions to protect your home and family, the better.

Some basic precautions you should take include:

• Keeping Track of Storm-Related News. Be sure to keep an eye out for major storm updates on the news. You can set up a Google Alert for “Florida hurricane” or “hurricane season” to get updates on any storms heading for the sunshine state (or other areas).
• Stockpile Supplies. Keep a week’s worth of shelf-stable food that doesn’t require cooking equipment to prepare on hand in case of a power outage. Stock up some bottled water in case of damage to local water systems.
• Prepare Sandbags. When you hear about a major storm approaching, consider setting up sandbags around the entrances to your home to help keep out potential storm surges and debris.
• Learn Your Evacuation Routes. Check sites like the Florida Disaster website for links to maps for your county’s evacuation routes. Memorize your route so you can follow it in an emergency without getting lost.
• Install Hurricane Impact Windows. The windows of your home are your first line of defense against hurricane-force winds, flying objects, and heavy rain. Replacing your old windows with impact-resistant hurricane windows can be an important first step in protecting your home from major storms.

Hurricane impact windows have numerous failsafes to help protect your home from the effects of major storms. In addition to using impact-resistant glass, they also commonly feature protective laminate that holds firm even if the top layer of glass breaks, secondary layers of glass, and reinforced frames.

Looking for hurricane windows to protect your home from big storms? Reach out to Karoly Windows & Doors and request a quote for impact window installation.