Category 6 for hurricanes proposed as storms continue to become more intense, life-threatening: climate scientists
Climate scientists are proposing adding a sixth category to describe the most intense, life-threatening hurricanes as storms continue to grow stronger.
The hypothetical Category 6 would apply to storms with wind speeds over 192 miles per hour. Under the current standards, storms with winds of 157 miles per hour or higher are considered a Category 5.
But Michael F. Wehner, a climate scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and James P. Kossin, a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate and hurricane researcher, say the current open-ended Saffir-Simpson model is “inadequate” and may cause residents to underestimate the most dangerous storms.
“We find that a number of recent storms have already achieved this hypothetical Category 6 intensity, and based on multiple independent lines of evidence examining the highest simulated and potential peak wind speeds, more such storms are projected as the climate continues to warm,” they wrote.
There have already been five hurricanes — all in the Pacific Ocean — that have reached wind speeds of 192 miles per hour since 2013, according to their study.
“There haven’t been any in the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico yet, but they have conditions conducive to a Category 6, it’s just luck that there hasn’t been one yet,” Wehner told the Associated Press. “I hope it won’t happen, but it’s a roll of the dice.”
“We know that these storms have already gotten more intense and will continue to do so.”
But other experts do not believe another category is necessary — and might even give people the wrong impression, as the categories are based solely on wind speeds and not amount of rain.
University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy noted that climate change is not causing more storms, but is instead intensifying storms and increasing the proportion that qualify as major hurricanes.
Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, also noted that his office attempts to focus more on the individual hazards — including storm surge, wind, rainfall, tornadoes and rip currents — rather than just the wind speeds.
He added that Category 5 already suggests “catastrophic damage” from wind, so adding another category would not be necessary.
And Jeff Masters, a hurricane scientist who also used to work for NOAA, said: “If a Cat. 6 was coming your way, I don’t know if it would change how you prepare.
“You’re going to evacuate either way. Or you’re foolish,” he told the Tampa Bay Times.
With Post wires
