The Saffir-Simpson Scale

Hurricanes are classified by sustained wind speed:

• Category 1 (119-153 km/h): minimal damage to roofs and trees
• Category 2 (154-177 km/h): extensive roof damage, trees snapped
• Category 3 (178-208 km/h): devastating structural damage to buildings
• Category 4 (209-251 km/h): catastrophic, most trees snapped
• Category 5 (252+ km/h): total destruction of framed homes

Wind speed alone does not tell the whole story. Storm surge — the wall of ocean water pushed ashore — kills more people than wind in most hurricanes. A Category 3 storm can push a 4-meter surge inland, flooding areas that feel safely distant from the coast.