What does the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale mean?

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s .

The scale is based on a number of categories, with five being the most powerful type of hurricane.

Milton , the strongest tropical cyclone in the world so far this year , grew from a “Category 1” hurricane to a Category 5 ’ hurricane in just 12 hours .

Typhoon Tip , the third super typhoon of the 1979 Pacific typhoon , is one you might not be familiar with.

Hurricanes today are significantly more intense than they used to be; they're drawing from the ocean, and the ocean itself longer than once did.

Hurricane Tip was the strongest hurricane on record, with maximum sustained winds reaching 215 mph ( 346 kmph ) It’s a full 40 kmph faster than the runner-up Hurricane Allen , which even today is commonly used as a benchmark for just how bad things can get in a really devastating storm.

Some experts are toying with the idea of extending the SSHWS itself making way for a future in which category 6 or even 7 storms might be a reality.

Others worry that adding a category 6 might dilute the severity of the preceding categories in the public’s mind.

On the other hand, extending the category system to include stronger storms may be a necessary wake-up call.