Understanding Tropical Cyclones According to NOAA, a tropical cyclone is a rotating low-pressure weather system with organized thunderstorms but no boundary separating different air masses. Tropical cyclones are classified based on their wind speeds. WHEN SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE LESS THAN 39 MILES PER HOUR (MPH), THE SYSTEM IS CALLED A TROPICAL DEPRESSION. ONCE WINDS REACH 39 MPH OR HIGHER, IT BECOMES A TROPICAL STORM. IF THE STORM’S WINDS REACH 74 MPH OR MORE, IT IS CLASSIFIED AS A HURRICANE. Hurricanes are further categorized using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , which ranges from Category 1 to Category 5. The higher the category, the greater the potential for property damage.
STORM PREPAREDNESS GUIDE 2025 The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale 1 2 3 4 5 74-95 mph 96-110 mph 111-129 mph 130-156 mph 157 mph or higher CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT
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