Melissa is now a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, the U.S. Hurricane Center said on Saturday. The hurricane was located about 280 miles (450 km) from Port-au-Prince, Haiti,

A Georgia Tech researcher says we may need more tools to measure the full impacts of strong hurricanes like Melissa.

Meteorologist John Morales needed a moment to collect himself while reporting on Hurricane Melissa, the deadly storm making landfall in Jamaica: 'Oh my Jesus Christ.'

For the last few years, I have opined about the inadequacy of the Saffir — Simpson scale for conveying the full impacts of hurricanes. Harvey (2017), Milton (2024) and Helene (2024) are examples of hurricanes that altered landscapes and entire regions ...

When you hear terms like Category 1, Category 3 or even the rare Category 5 mentioned regarding hurricanes, what is being discussed is the classification system for hurricanes based on their winds. Here is what the scale means: The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane ...

As climate change continues to alter the landscape with more intense weather patterns, some scientists argue that a new Category 6 might need to be considered, as storms continue to intensify in strength. Introduced in the 1960s and refined in the 1970s ...

When we talk about hurricanes, the first number you usually hear is wind speed. That makes sense. Wind is what tears off roofs, knocks down trees, and turns debris into dangerous missiles. Wind kicks up waves and pushes storm surge onto beaches.

As 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 ...

Hurricane Melissa is a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with a maximum of 5, with maximum sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour and higher gusts.