All books

Professional

Apps About Coach Log in Start reading

Earth and Space Sciences · Glossary

What is Saffir–Simpson scale?

Also known as: Saffir--Simpson scale

Definition 5.7 High School Earth and Space Sciences · Chapter 5 — Storms and Tropical Cyclones

The Saffir–Simpson scale sorts hurricanes into five categories by their maximum sustained wind; categories 3 to 5 are major hurricanes.

Each dot is one tropical cyclone of the 2000–2024 seasons: its strongest sustained wind and its lowest central pressure. The line is the best straight-line fit: about 1.6\, hPa lower for every extra metre per second. Grey dashed lines: the limits of the Saffir–Simpson categories (numbered at the top). Data: IBTrACS v04r01, NOAA NCEI.
Each dot is one tropical cyclone of the 2000–2024 seasons: its strongest sustained wind and its lowest central pressure. The line is the best straight-line fit: about 1.6 hPa1.6\,\mathrm{hPa} lower for every extra metre per second. Grey dashed lines: the limits of the Saffir–Simpson categories (numbered at the top). Data: IBTrACS v04r01, NOAA NCEI.
Read in context →