ATLANTA — Categories are the key to understanding just how severe a hurricane actually is – something that’s essential with tracking a major storm.
What are the hurricane categories?
The Saffir-Simpson scale is how those categories work. In short, it places hurricanes in five classifications. The weakest of these includes hurricanes with winds as slow as 74 mph. Meanwhile, a Category 5 hurricane has winds over 156 miles per hour.
In addition to wind speeds, these storms can create different amounts of storm surge based on their category. The largest of them have a surge of over 18 feet.
Category 3 and up have the highest potential for storm-related damage and loss of life, with that category being considered “devastating” and the two above it being labeled “catastrophic.” The National Weather Service describes the five hurricane categories as such:
- Category 1: Winds are between 74-95 mph and will produce some damage
- Category 2: Winds are between 96-110 mph and can cause extensive damage
- Category 3: Winds are between 111-129 mph and "devastating" damage is likely
- Category 4: Winds are 130-156 mph and will cause "catastrophic" damage will happen
- Category 5: Winds are 157 mph or higher, and will similarly cause "catastrophic" damage
What category is Hurricane Helene?
Helene strengthened to a "dangerous" category 4 hurricane just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday before making landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida around 11:30 p.m.
In anticipation of the storm's impacts, Georgia's governor issued a State of Emergency to free up resources.
Hurricane Helene was a major category 4 hurricane at landfall. The National Hurricane Center's official forecast had gone back and forth between a category 3 and category 4 strength ahead of landfall, but whether a category 3 or category 4... the difference was minimal. Devastating storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding rain are expected along the Big Bend area regardless.
Hurricane Helene Tracker
Hurricane Helene barreled toward the Big Bend of Florida early Thursday night before landfall, bringing devastating storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding rain. Helene will weaken as it moves northward through the state of Georgia.
Click here for the interactive radar tracking Helene.
MORE FROM THE 11ALIVE WEATHER IMPACT TEAM
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