CATEGORY 1: It’s the first category that a hurricane can be labeled on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. The winds for a “CAT 1” ranges from 74-95 mph.

The scale has been in use for decades and gives an idea about what kind of wind damage a hurricane can produce, but it says nothing about impacts from storm surge, flooding rain and tornadoes.

Since 1971, meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center have rated tropical systems based on the Saffir-Simpson scale. This is a scale that measures the strongest wind speed around the eye of ...

In a study, Michael Wehner, PhD, and the Berkeley Lab found that the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale fails to tell the full story of higher wind speeds. "The strongest storms are getting stronger.

In a study, Michael Wehner, PhD, and the Berkeley Lab found that the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale fails to tell the full story of higher wind speeds. "The strongest storms are getting stronger.