Hurricane Categories

Hurricane Categories

by poonam bisht



Hurricanes are classified into categories based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which measures the sustained wind speed and potential storm surge associated with the storm. The categories range from 1 to 5, with Category 1 being the least severe and Category 5 being the most devastating.

Category 1 Hurricane

Category 1 hurricane is the least severe on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It has sustained winds of 74-95 mph and a storm surge of 4-5 feet above normal. Although a Category 1 hurricane is not as strong as higher category hurricanes, it can still cause damage to homes, trees, and power lines. It can also lead to flooding in low-lying areas and coastal regions. It is important to take necessary precautions and follow evacuation orders to ensure safety during a Category 1 hurricane.




Category 1 Hurricane Names

List of some notable Category 1 hurricanes that have impacted various parts of the world


  • Hurricane Ana (2014) – affected Hawaii, United States
  • Hurricane Danny (2015) – affected Lesser Antilles, Caribbean
  • Hurricane Erika (2015) – affected Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, United States
  • Hurricane Hermine (2016) – affected Florida, United States
  • Hurricane Nate (2017) – affected Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, United States
  • Hurricane Fernand (2019) – affected Mexico
  • Hurricane Isaias (2020) – affected Caribbean, United States, Canada
  • Hurricane Hanna (2020) – affected Texas, United States
  • Hurricane Zeta (2020) – affected Louisiana, United States
  • Hurricane Elsa (2021) – affected Caribbean, United States

Category 2 Hurricane

Category 2 hurricane is a moderately strong hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It has sustained winds of 96-110 mph and a storm surge of 6-8 feet above normal. The winds associated with a Category 2 hurricane can cause significant damage to homes, trees, and power lines, and the storm surge can lead to coastal flooding. Additionally, heavy rainfall can cause inland flooding and landslides. It is important to take necessary precautions and follow evacuation orders to ensure safety during a Category 2 hurricane.

Category 2 Hurricane Names

List of some notable Category 2 hurricanes that have impacted various parts of the world

  • Hurricane Arthur (2014) – affected North Carolina, United States
  • Hurricane Bertha (2014) – affected Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, United States
  • Hurricane Fay (2014) – affected Bermuda
  • Hurricane Joaquin (2015) – affected Bahamas, Bermuda, United States
  • Hurricane Nicole (2016) – affected Bermuda
  • Hurricane Beryl (2018) – affected Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic
  • Hurricane Michael (2018) – affected Florida, United States
  • Hurricane Delta (2020) – affected Central America, Mexico, United States
  • Hurricane Sally (2020) – affected Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, United States
  • Hurricane Nicholas (2021) – affected Texas, Louisiana, United States

Category 3 Hurricane

Category 3 hurricane is a major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It has sustained winds of 111-129 mph and a storm surge of 9-12 feet above normal. The winds associated with a Category 3 hurricane can cause extensive damage to homes, buildings, and infrastructure, and the storm surge can lead to significant coastal flooding. Additionally, heavy rainfall can cause widespread inland flooding and landslides. It is important to take necessary precautions and follow evacuation orders to ensure safety during a Category 3 hurricane.


Category 3 Hurricane Names

List of some notable Category 3 hurricanes that have impacted various parts of the world

  • Hurricane Gonzalo (2014) – affected Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Bermuda
  • Hurricane Joaquin (2015) – affected Bahamas, Bermuda, United States
  • Hurricane Matthew (2016) – affected Caribbean, United States, Canada
  • Hurricane Irma (2017) – affected Caribbean, United States
  • Hurricane Maria (2017) – affected Caribbean, Puerto Rico, United States
  • Hurricane Lane (2018) – affected Hawaii, United States
  • Hurricane Florence (2018) – affected North Carolina, South Carolina, United States
  • Hurricane Michael (2018) – affected Florida, United States
  • Hurricane Dorian (2019) – affected Bahamas, United States, Canada
  • Hurricane Delta (2020) – affected Central America, Mexico, United States

Category 4 Hurricane

Category 4 hurricane is an extremely powerful hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It has sustained winds of 130-156 mph and a storm surge of 13-18 feet above normal. The winds associated with a Category 4 hurricane can cause catastrophic damage to homes, buildings, and infrastructure, and the storm surge can lead to severe coastal flooding. Additionally, heavy rainfall can cause widespread inland flooding and landslides. It is important to take necessary precautions and follow evacuation orders to ensure safety during a Category 4 hurricane.

Category 4 Hurricane Names

List of some notable Category 4 hurricanes that have impacted various parts of the world


  • Hurricane Charley (2004) – affected Florida, United States
  • Hurricane Dennis (2005) – affected Cuba, Florida, United States
  • Hurricane Katrina (2005) – affected Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, United States
  • Hurricane Rita (2005) – affected Louisiana, Texas, United States
  • Hurricane Wilma (2005) – affected Florida, Mexico
  • Hurricane Felix (2007) – affected Nicaragua, Honduras
  • Hurricane Ike (2008) – affected Cuba, Texas, Louisiana, United States
  • Hurricane Joaquin (2015) – affected Bahamas, Bermuda, United States
  • Hurricane Harvey (2017) – affected Texas, Louisiana, United States
  • Hurricane Maria (2017) – affected Caribbean, Puerto Rico, United States

Category 5 Hurricane

Category 5 hurricane is the strongest and most devastating hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It has sustained winds of 157 mph or higher and a storm surge of 18 feet or higher. The winds associated with a Category 5 hurricane can cause catastrophic damage to homes, buildings, and infrastructure, and the storm surge can lead to extensive coastal flooding. Additionally, heavy rainfall can cause widespread inland flooding and landslides. It is essential to take immediate action and follow all evacuation orders to ensure safety during a Category 5 hurricane.

Category 5 Hurricane Names

List of some notable Category 5 hurricanes that have impacted various parts of the world

  • Hurricane Andrew (1992) – affected Florida, Louisiana, United States
  • Hurricane Mitch (1998) – affected Central America, Mexico
  • Hurricane Isabel (2003) – affected North Carolina, Virginia, United States
  • Hurricane Ivan (2004) – affected Caribbean, United States
  • Hurricane Emily (2005) – affected Mexico, Jamaica, Cayman Islands
  • Hurricane Katrina (2005) – affected Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, United States
  • Hurricane Rita (2005) – affected Louisiana, Texas, United States
  • Hurricane Wilma (2005) – affected Florida, Mexico
  • Hurricane Dean (2007) – affected Caribbean, Mexico, Belize
  • Hurricane Felix (2007) – affected Nicaragua, Honduras

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