You’ve heard about strong storms during hurricane season, but you might be wondering how powerful can those storms get.
Do Category 6 Hurricanes Exist?
According to measurable weather models, a category 6 hurricane doesn’t exist.
A Category 6 hurricane would theoretically be a classification for hurricanes stronger than those currently categorized under the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which only goes up to Category 5.
On this scale, a Category 5 hurricane has sustained winds of 157 mph (252 km/h) or higher, but there’s no official Category 6 designation.
However, some scientists and meteorologists have speculated about the need for a Category 6 classification as climate change has led to the possibility of more extreme storms.
This would be for hurricanes with winds far exceeding the 157 mph mark, potentially around 180 mph or higher. These hypothetical storms would cause catastrophic damage.
How Many Category 5 Storms Have Been in the Atlantic?
there have been 39 recorded Category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. These storms are the most intense on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, with sustained winds of 157 mph (252 km/h) or greater.
Some notable Category 5 hurricanes include:
- Hurricane Andrew (1992)
- Hurricane Katrina (2005)
- Hurricane Irma (2017)
- Hurricane Maria (2017)
- Hurricane Dorian (2019)
Category 5 storms are rare but devastating, and the number has increased somewhat in recent decades, possibly due to warmer ocean temperatures.
