Powering Through: Hurricanes and the Need for a Sixth Category
Hurricanes are intensifying as the world warms, leading scientists to suggest the need for a sixth category of hurricanes. The current classification system of hurricanes being categorized on a scale of one to five is no longer sufficient to capture the increasing intensity of these storms. Researchers Michael Wehner and James Kossin propose the addition of a sixth category based on weather models and observations from the past four decades.
Storms like Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Maria in 2017, both classified as Category 5 hurricanes, have caused significant devastation and loss of life. Category 5 hurricanes have no upper limit on the Saffir–Simpson intensity scale, with wind speeds exceeding about 70 meters per second.
Over the past four decades, there has been an increase in the number of Category 5 hurricanes, with more than half occurring in the last 17 years. The most destructive storms have occurred in the last nine years, with wind speeds exceeding 80 meters per second in some cases. These storms have caused widespread destruction and loss of life, highlighting the need for an additional category to capture their intensity.
Category 6 would be based on weather models that predict wind speeds above 130 meters per second. This new category would be essential for accurately capturing the destructive potential of these powerful storms.
The observation that these powerful storms are becoming more frequent is not new. Scientists have long predicted that global warming would cause an increase in hurricane activity. The increase in frequency and intensity has already led to devastating effects on communities around the world.
In conclusion, it is crucial that we update our classification system to reflect this new reality. Adding a sixth category for Category 6 will provide us with a better understanding of these powerful storms’ destructive potential and help us prepare better for future disasters.
