The Saffir-Simpson scale: More on how hurricanes are measured

This is the scale used to measure hurricanes in the Atlantic

This is the scale used to measure hurricanes in the Atlantic

SHORT TERM THREATS, ESPECIALLY FOR FLORIDA AND FOR THE GULF COAST? SO THERE ARE TWO KEY FACTORS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON FORECAST. ONE OF THOSE IS THE UNUSUAL WARMTH ACROSS THE ATLANTIC BASIN, AND THE OTHER ONE IS EL NINO. BECOMING A LA NINA. AS WE APPROACH THE HEIGHT OF HURRICANE SEASON. KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE TWO PHENOMENA AFFECT ATMOSPHERIC PATTERNS AROUND THE GLOBE. FOR US HERE IN THE WINTER, IT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES. AND WHAT ARE THE NORMAL CONDITIONS WHEN EL NINO IS IN EFFECT, WHEN LA NINA IS IN EFFECT, JUST THE OPPOSITE. WARMER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS WITH LESS RAINFALL. EL NINO IS IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW, WHICH FOR US MEANS MORE WIND SHEAR BECAUSE THE WATER TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE AVERAGE WHEN SIGNIFICANT WIND SHEAR IS PRESENT, ESPECIALLY WITH WEAKER SYSTEMS THAT WIND SHEAR TENDS TO DISPLACE THE CONVECTION AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE SYSTEM, WHICH INTERRUPTS THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTUALLY RESULTS IN ITS DEMISE. WHEN LA NINA IS IN EFFECT, THOSE STRONGER TRADE WINDS MOVE THE WARM WATER TO THE WEST. THE COOLER WATER FROM BELOW RISES TO THE TOP. WATER TEMPERATURES IN THIS ENTIRE REGION ARE BELOW AVERAGE, WHICH MEANS FOR US, LESS WIND SHEAR. KEEPING IN MIND THAT HURRICANES ARE VERTICAL SYSTEMS, ANYTHING THAT INHIBITS OR INTERRUPTS THAT VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT LEADS TO THE WEAKENING OF THE SYSTEM OR THE DEMISE OF THE SYSTEM ALTOGETHER. WITH LA NINA EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AS WE APPROACH THE HEIGHT OF HURRICANE SE

The Saffir-Simpson scale: More on how hurricanes are measured

This is the scale used to measure hurricanes in the Atlantic

Now that it is hurricane season, many people will be keeping a close eye on storms and how they intensify. You may have heard of the "Saffir-Simpson" hurricane scale. This is the scale used to measure how strong the maximum sustained winds are in a hurricane.The scale is based on a 1-5 rating. It is important to note that the scale does not factor in other hazardous conditions such as storm surge, rainfall flooding, or tornadoes.A category 3 storm or higher with winds of 111-plus miles per hour is considered a "major" hurricane. Major hurricanes can cause devastating to catastrophic damage and/or loss of life from their winds.You can learn more about the Saffir-Simpson scale here.

NEW ORLEANS —

Now that it is hurricane season, many people will be keeping a close eye on storms and how they intensify.

You may have heard of the "Saffir-Simpson" hurricane scale. This is the scale used to measure how strong the maximum sustained winds are in a hurricane.

The scale is based on a 1-5 rating.

It is important to note that the scale does not factor in other hazardous conditions such as storm surge, rainfall flooding, or tornadoes.

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A category 3 storm or higher with winds of 111-plus miles per hour is considered a "major" hurricane.

Major hurricanes can cause devastating to catastrophic damage and/or loss of life from their winds.

You can learn more about the Saffir-Simpson scale here.

The Saffir-Simpson scale: More on how hurricanes are measured

This is the scale used to measure hurricanes in the Atlantic

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