Due to the growing intensity of storms, there’s talk of adding a Category 6 for hurricanes. A Cat 6 would be defined as wind speeds of more than 192 miles per hour. But LSU Climatologist Barry Keim said considering the last one that even came close in the Atlantic was Hurricane Allen in 1980 at 190 miles per hour, there’s no need.
“In my opinion with no Category 6 storm ever in the Atlantic and only five in the Pacific I don’t see a real need to create this category,” said Keim.
The strongest storm to ever make landfall in the US was Labor Day 1935 with winds of 185 miles per hour.
Keim said the National Hurricane Center considered adding a Category 6 but opted against it. He worries adding a higher classification could have repercussions.
“Does that make a Category 3 storm sound less daunting? Knowing Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 when it hit New Orleans, so with all these things, you roll this all in together I just don’t think this is necessary,” said Keim.
The study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests global warming has prompted the need for an additional Saffir-Simpson scale storm category. Keim said the jury is still out.
“There are no more adjectives or superlatives to describe a storm after a Category 5. I mean it’s a catastrophic event. What do you have that comes in after that? So I just don’t think it’s necessary,” said Keim.
Keim notes Pacific storms are routinely stronger because there’s less land to weaken their intensity.
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