Storms guide
Hurricane Categories Explained: The Saffir–Simpson Scale and the Forecast Cone
A hurricane's category tells you one thing: how fast its strongest winds are blowing. Here is what each category means, what the forecast cone does and doesn't show, and why the most dangerous part of a hurricane is often the water.
Updated 4 November 2026
Hurricane, typhoon or cyclone?
They are the same kind of storm, a tropical cyclone, with a different name depending on where it forms:
- Hurricane in the North Atlantic, the Caribbean and the North Pacific east of the date line.
- Typhoon in the North Pacific west of the date line, towards Japan, China and the Philippines.
- Cyclone or tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific, near Australia.
A tropical storm gets a name once its sustained winds reach 63 km/h (39 mph), and becomes a hurricane or typhoon at 119 km/h (74 mph).
The Saffir–Simpson scale
The US National Hurricane Center rates hurricanes from Category 1 to 5 by their maximum sustained wind, averaged over one minute at 10 metres above the ground. Gusts can be much stronger.
| Category | Wind | Typical damage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 119–153 km/h (74–95 mph) | Some damage to roofs, gutters and trees; power cuts likely |
| 2 | 154–177 km/h (96–110 mph) | Extensive damage; many trees down; power cuts for days or weeks |
| 3 | 178–208 km/h (111–129 mph) | Major hurricane: devastating damage; water and power may be gone for weeks |
| 4 | 209–251 km/h (130–156 mph) | Catastrophic damage; roofs and walls lost; areas uninhabitable for weeks or months |
| 5 | 252 km/h (157 mph) or more | Catastrophic: a high share of homes destroyed |
Category 3 and above are called major hurricanes. In the western Pacific, a typhoon with winds of 241 km/h (150 mph) or more is called a super typhoon.
Water is the bigger danger
The category describes wind only. It says nothing about storm surge, the rise of the sea pushed ashore by the storm, or about rainfall and the floods it brings. In the United States, water from surge and rain has caused most hurricane deaths. A slow-moving Category 1 or a tropical storm can flood a region more than a fast Category 4.
So when officials order an evacuation, it is usually because of water, and it applies whatever the category.
Reading the forecast cone
The cone on hurricane maps shows where the centre of the storm is likely to go over the next five days. Its width comes from the size of past forecast errors: the centre stays inside the cone about two-thirds of the time.
- The cone is not the size of the storm. Strong wind, heavy rain and surge often reach far outside it.
- Being outside the cone does not mean you are safe; being at its edge is not much safer than being in the middle.
- The cone widens with time because forecasts further ahead are less certain.
Storm shows each storm's official forecast track and cone from the agency responsible for it, with the time it was issued.
Watches and warnings
In the US and many other places, a hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible in the area, usually within 48 hours. A hurricane warning means they are expected, usually within 36 hours, and it is time to finish preparing or leave if you are told to. Other countries use their own systems; always follow your national weather service.
Not an official warning service. In an emergency, follow your local authorities.