Researcher proposes new hurricane scale to better communicate storm risks

TAMPA, Fla. - For decades, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale has served as the only way to categorize hurricanes, ranking cyclones from Category 1 to 5 based on sustained wind speeds, but researchers say the focus on winds leaves out hazard impacts such as storm surge and flooding from rainfall.

Instead, researchers at the University of South Florida have proposed what they call the Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale, which has separate categories for wind, storm surge and precipitation.

Jennifer Collins, a hurricane researcher and professor at USF’s School of Geosciences, said the need for changes stems from the fatalities associated with a storm's water impacts.

"Storm surge accounts for closer to 50 percent of fatalities. So why not have a scale that is more than just wind alone.