{"685622":{"#nid":"685622","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Storms Are Changing \u2014 Should the Hurricane Scale Change Too?  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs climate change continues to reshape the intensity and behavior of hurricanes, meteorologists and researchers are examining whether the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, a decades-old classification system, still adequately communicates the full scope of hurricane hazards. While the scale remains a widely recognized tool, experts like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/handlos-zachary\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EZachary Handlos\u003C\/a\u003E, director of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at Georgia Tech, suggest that a complementary system could enhance public understanding of the broader risks hurricanes pose.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/news\/hurricane-season-begins-how-georgia-tech-civil-engineer-created-five-categories-we-use-classify\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDeveloped in 1969\u003C\/a\u003E by civil engineer and Georgia Tech alumnus Herbert Saffir, CE 1940, and meteorologist Robert Simpson, the scale classifies hurricanes solely by sustained wind speed, ranging from Category 1 to Category 5. It has long served as the primary tool for describing hurricane intensity in forecasts and media coverage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor anyone that follows hurricane coverage on TV, social media, the internet, or in any other form, the Saffir-Simpson scale is the way that hurricanes are described and classified,\u201d said Handlos.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EToward a More Comprehensive Hazard Framework\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHandlos noted that while the scale is widely recognized, it does not account for other major hazards such as storm surge, inland flooding, tornadoes, and storm size. \u201cMaximum wind speeds are certainly a threat if one is in the path of a hurricane,\u201d he said, \u201cbut several other hazards are also problematic.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new scale to complement the Saffir-Simpson scale could be beneficial. It would need to have accurate messaging about all aspects of a hurricane event while also continuing to record Saffir-Simpson scale data for comparison to past events.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAny effort to revise or supplement the scale would require broad collaboration across sectors. Handlos emphasized that input from government agencies, emergency managers, academic researchers, and private industry would be essential, and that formal adoption of any new system would likely involve coordination with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.noaa.gov\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENational Hurricane Center\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe added, \u201cIf there is a way to update this scale or devise a new scale that both accounts for all types of hurricane hazards and is something that is digestible to the general public, this could be helpful in the future.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EForecasting Advances and Communication Challenges\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClimate change is not currently altering how hurricane strength is measured, but it is changing the conditions in which hurricanes form. Handlos said that with the observed increase in global average temperature over the past several decades, scientists also anticipate sea surface temperature values continuing to rise. This would result in the additional transfer of heat energy from the ocean\u2019s surface to the atmosphere, further fueling hurricanes. It also provides the potential for hurricane development farther poleward in both hemispheres. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe also pointed to changes in atmospheric moisture. As air temperature rises, the atmosphere\u2019s capacity to hold water vapor is expected to increase. One possible consequence of this is that any rainfall associated with hurricanes could be associated with higher rain rates and more total precipitation, which could intensify inland flooding.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdvances in forecasting technology are helping meteorologists improve how hurricane hazards are predicted and communicated. According to Handlos, the integration of traditional numerical weather prediction models with artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, alongside data from radar, satellites, weather balloons, and aircraft, has significantly enhanced the accuracy of hurricane forecasts over the past two decades.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStill, Handlos cautioned that effectively reaching the public remains a persistent challenge. \u201cDespite repeated warnings and widespread messaging, we often hear stories of individuals choosing not to evacuate, because they\u2019ve weathered previous storms without issue,\u201d he said. \u201cIn today\u2019s environment of nonstop social media, constant notifications, and information overload, people can struggle to identify which messages are most important and trustworthy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Experts revisit the Saffir-Simpson scale in a changing climate"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs climate change influences hurricane behavior, experts are taking a closer look at how we classify and communicate storm risks, and what that means for forecasting, preparedness, and public understanding.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech expert Zachary Handlos joins a growing conversation about whether the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale adequately reflects the full range of hurricane hazards in a changing climate."}],"uid":"35797","created_gmt":"2025-10-08 19:00:13","changed_gmt":"2025-10-28 18:55:26","author":"Siobhan Rodriguez","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678307":{"id":"678307","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_478449398.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1759950026","gmt_created":"2025-10-08 19:00:26","changed":"1759950026","gmt_changed":"2025-10-08 19:00:26","alt":"Image of a hurricane ","file":{"fid":"262317","name":"AdobeStock_478449398.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/AdobeStock_478449398.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/AdobeStock_478449398.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":12202303,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/08\/AdobeStock_478449398.jpeg?itok=PoFo4GjN"}},"678308":{"id":"678308","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_287907491.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Saffir-Simpson scale classifies hurricanes solely by sustained wind speed, ranging from Category 1 to Category 5.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1759950145","gmt_created":"2025-10-08 19:02:25","changed":"1759950145","gmt_changed":"2025-10-08 19:02:25","alt":"Image of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale","file":{"fid":"262318","name":"AdobeStock_287907491.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/AdobeStock_287907491.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/AdobeStock_287907491.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1483004,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/08\/AdobeStock_287907491.jpeg?itok=TVCPO4SV"}}},"media_ids":["678307","678308"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194813","name":"Saffir-Simpson scale"},{"id":"194814","name":"hurricane classification"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"194815","name":"hurricane risk"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"184642","name":"Zachary Handlos"},{"id":"181659","name":"Storm Surge"},{"id":"194816","name":"inland flooding"},{"id":"194817","name":"hurricane communication"},{"id":"90271","name":"NOAA"},{"id":"194818","name":"National Hurricane Center"},{"id":"194819","name":"hurricane forecasting"},{"id":"185530","name":"emergency management"},{"id":"194820","name":"weather prediction"},{"id":"194821","name":"AI in meteorology"},{"id":"194822","name":"hurricane hazards"},{"id":"3035","name":"public safety"},{"id":"24971","name":"Disaster Preparedness"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003ESiobhan Rodriguez\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESenior Media Relations Representative\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["media@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}