news Category 6 rating proposed for cyclones as a result of climate change

[DAP]

Quote

When meteorologists began using the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale to measure hurricane intensity in the 1970s, a Category 5 storm represented oblivion. Such a cyclone, with sustained winds of at least 157 mph, could flatten any structure of the era, so there was no reason to give the most ferocious tier of hurricanes an upper bound.

 

But as the planet warms, storms are increasingly surpassing what was once considered extreme, according to research published Monday. Now, two scientists are proposing a new label they say a growing number of storms already merit: Category 6.

 

“Climate change has demonstrably made the strongest storms stronger,” said Michael Wehner, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. “Introduction of this hypothetical Category 6 would raise awareness of that.”

 

Wehner and James Kossin, a distinguished science adviser at the First Street Foundation, suggest the Category 6 label could go to any tropical cyclone with sustained winds of at least 192 mph — an intensity that five storms have surpassed since 2013.

 

Meteorologists have for years debated whether the current hurricane scale adequately captures the hazards of today’s storms — it only takes winds into account, not pounding waves or flooding — and whether a new top-end category is needed. With the new research, the scientists say they are formalizing that discussion, in hopes of spurring more academic debate about the ways climate change is heightening weather hazards as we know them.

 

“Having [Category 5] mean anything above a certain threshold is becoming more and more problematic,” Kossin said. “It tends to understate the risk.”

 

There is no sign that government hurricane forecasters will revise their rating scale anytime soon — and some meteorologists disagree on whether it should be adopted. Still, the proposal underscores how dramatically the potential for extreme storms has surged.

 

As global temperatures rise, oceanic and atmospheric warming are more often creating a prime environment for storms to rapidly strengthen and swirl more forcefully than ever.

 

The scientists predict the trend will only accelerate in warm basins such as the Gulf of Mexico, where some sea surface temperature readings surpassed 100 degrees amid record global warmth last summer. Scientists forecast the threat will worsen once planetary temperatures average 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. In that scenario, they say the risk of Category 6 storms in the Gulf will double.

Hmph!

 

[Pheromosa]

it doesn't make a difference

even 4 to 5 is negligible 

[MatiRod]

If pop girls were cyclones, who would be Category 6?

[JBJT2786]

Anything after 2 is considered catastrophic so this is pretty much useless.

[SweetTalker]

41 minutes ago, DAP said:

There is no sign that government hurricane forecasters will revise their rating scale anytime soon — and some meteorologists disagree on whether it should be adopted

[HausOfPunk]

Hmm...Witch, Hmm...twitch, Hmm...*****
Motherf*cking right, this is Category 6!

[Ms. Togekiss]

This is so stupid. Hurricanes barely make it to category 5 anyways so it’s not like they’re blowing past the threshold. Also, anything above a cat 4 is insanely destructive so it’s just semantics at that point 

[Magic_boXX]