Hurricanes are categorized by their wind speeds on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Hurricanes are split into five categories based on the wind speeds they produce:Category 1: winds between 74 m.p.h. To be considered a “major” hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center, a storm must reach Category 3 or above. A hurricane’s strength matters because it helps meteorologists give residents in its path an idea of what type of damage is possible. A Category 2 hurricane, for example, has the potential to cause major roof damage to homes, snap or uproot shallowly rooted trees, and knock out power in an area for days to weeks.

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Persons: Herb Saffir, Bob Simpson Organizations: Hurricanes, National Hurricane Center