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Tropical cyclones are powerful and destructive weather systems that form over warm tropical ocean basins.
Where sea surface temperatures are above 26.5 degree C.
These storms are characterised by strong winds, heavy precipitation and storm surges and can cause significant damage to coastal communities and infrastructure.
Wind speed categories
The most common way to categorize wind speeds is using the Beaufort Wind Scale.
This is an internationally recognized system that relates wind speed to observed sea conditions and land effects.
Saffir-Simpson (SS) hurricane wind scale
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a hurricane rating system that classifies hurricanes from 1 to 5 based on their sustained wind speed.
It's a vital tool for understanding a hurricane's potential to cause damage and help people prepare accordingly.
Here's a breakdown of the scale:
Focuses on Wind Speed: The SSHWS solely considers a hurricane's sustained wind speed, averaged over one minute at an elevation of 10 meters (33 feet) above the surface.
Saffir-Simpson (SS) hurricane wind scale
Categories: It categorizes hurricanes into five categories, with Category 1 being the weakest and Category 5 being the strongest.
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