San Francisco. “Milton” is approaching, a hurricane of the highest (fifth) category. What does that mean? We explain the meteorologists’ horror scale.
After “Helene”, the next hurricane is already racing towards the USA. The new one visitation was given the name “Milton” and is rated as a category five tropical storm – even stronger than “Helene”. Of course, it can still weaken before it hits the mainland in Florida. What do the categories actually mean?
The German Weather Service refers to the hurricane scale, which is named after two US meteorologists: Herbert Saffir and Bob Simpson from the National Hurricane Center.
A sixth category is coming soon
The scale – introduced in the 1970s – is based on average wind speed. She divides hurricanes into five categories on. The highest group only starts in hurricanes with wind speeds of 252 km/h or more.
It is now being discussed in specialist circles as to whether it is a sixth category to expand. Scientists from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin-Madison said there have been several tropical cyclones in recent years with winds exceeding 86 meters per second. This corresponds to over 309.6 kilometers per hour.
“Milton” sets a new record
Die Saffir-Simpson-Hurricane fish provides information about:
- wind speed,
- air pressure and
- Rise in water level.
When classifying a storm, the following are important for disaster control impending damage important for the residents of the affected areas. The five categories:
Category 1: Wind speed: 119 – 153 km/h. Damage to trees and coastal areas will be flooded. Minor damage to port facilities.
Category 2: Wind speed: 154 – 177 km/h. Trees snap and roofs, windows and doors of buildings are damaged. Caravans are badly affected.
Category 3: Wind speed: 178 – 208 km/h. Structural damage to smaller buildings, large trees being snapped, flooding near the coast.
Category 4: Wind speed: 209 – 251 km/h. Severe damage to walls and roofs of larger buildings, all trees and bushes are blown down. Coastal areas lower than three meters above sea level will be flooded.
Category 5: Wind speed: over 252 km/h. Houses and bridges are destroyed, small buildings are completely blown over or blown away, and ships are thrown hundreds of meters ashore. Coastal areas lower than five meters above sea level are flooded up to 16 kilometers inland – the Milton scenario.
Also interesting: After Hurricane Helene: Why electric cars can now catch fire
Fewer hurricanes, but more violent?
“Milton is the third Atlantic storm to develop into a major hurricane since September 26 (Helene, Kirk),” writes Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University, on X. “This is the highest ever Atlantic between September 26th and October 7th, exceeding the old one Record of two from 1893, 1941 and 1959.”
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#Milton is the 3rd Atlantic storm to become a major #hurricane since September 26 (Helene, Kirk). This is the most on record for the Atlantic between September 26 – October 7, breaking the old record of 2 set in 1893, 1941 and 1959. pic.twitter.com/qfvD26vxFZ
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) 7. October 2024
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In the spring, universities and weather services had predicted that there would be more hurricanes in the Atlantic this year than usual, around 25. Then the surprise: things turned out differently. Until mid-September, the usual Peak of hurricane seasononly seven storms have been named, and the weather was surprisingly mild.
But All clear was out of place. Because “Helene” soon arrived with around 230 deaths. It got intense. And now “Milton” is looming even more threateningly, a hurricane of the highest category.
This might also interest you: Hurricane “Helene”: Republicans expose Donald Trump’s lies
