Hurricanes are ranked on a scale of one to five, with category one hurricanes being the weakest and category five being the strongest and most destructive. The damage caused by each category of hurricane ranks from: 1, minimal; 2, moderate; 3, extensive; 4, extreme (such as Hurricane Andrew in 1992); to 5, catastrophic.
| Hurricane Type |
Winds (MPH/KPH) |
Surge Levels |
| Category One |
74–95 mph/119–153 kph |
4–5 feet/1.2–1.5 meters |
| Category Two |
96–110 mph/154–177 kph |
6–8 feet/1.8–2.4 meters |
| Category Three |
111–130 mph/178–209 kph |
9–12 feet/2.75–2.4 meters |
| Category Four |
131–155 mph/210–249 |
13–18 feet/4–5.5 meters |
| Category Five |
kph > 155 mph/> 249 kph |
18 feet/> 5.5 meters |
