Editing Saffir–Simpson scale (section)

==History==
In 1971, the scale was developed by [[Civil engineering|civil engineer]] [[Herbert Saffir]] and meteorologist [[Robert Simpson (meteorologist)|Robert Simpson]], who at the time was director of the U.S. [[National Hurricane Center]] (NHC).<ref name="USA Today">{{cite news |author= Williams, Jack | title= Hurricane scale invented to communicate storm danger |work= [[USA Today]] |date= May 17, 2005 |access-date= February 25, 2007 | url= https://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/whscale.htm}}</ref> In 1973, the scale was introduced to the general public,<ref name="Bridgeport Post">{{cite news |url= http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=82937522_clean&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=9&currentPage=50 |title='73, Hurricanes to be Graded |author=Staff writer |agency= Associated Press |date= May 9, 1973 |access-date= December 8, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519155007/http://thehurricanearchive.com/viewer.aspx?currentpage=50&currentresult=9&firstvisit=true&img=82937522_clean&src=search |archive-date= May 19, 2016 }}</ref> and saw widespread use after [[Neil Frank]] replaced Simpson at the helm of the NHC in 1974.<ref name="Simpson interview" />

The scale was created by Herbert Saffir, a [[Structural engineering|structural engineer]], who in 1969 was commissioned by the [[United Nations]] to study low-cost housing in hurricane-prone areas.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TTEfAAAAIBAJ&pg=2625%2C7395281 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160417061701/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TTEfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lccEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2625%2C7395281 |url-status= dead |archive-date= April 17, 2016 |title= Hurricanes shaped life of scale inventor |date=August 23, 2001 |author= Press Writer |access-date= March 20, 2016}}</ref> In 1971, while conducting the study, Saffir realized there was no simple scale for describing the likely effects of a hurricane.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Saffir |first1=Herbert S. |last2=P.e. |first2=F. Asce |date=1983-05-01 |title=Practical aspects of design for hurricane-resistant structures; wind loadings |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0167610583901046 |journal=Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=247–259 |doi=10.1016/0167-6105(83)90104-6 |bibcode=1983JWEIA..11..247S |issn=0167-6105 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006000000/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0167610583901046 |archive-date=2024-10-06}} [https://archive.org/details/0167-6105-2883-2990104-6 Alt URL]</ref> By using subjective damage-based scales for earthquake intensity like the [[Modified Mercalli intensity scale]] or [[Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale|MSK-64 intensity scale]] and the objective numerical gradation method of the [[Richter scale]] as models, he proposed a simplified 1–5 grading scale as a guide for areas that do not have hurricane building codes.  The grades were based on two main factors: objective wind gust speeds sustaining for 2–3 seconds at an elevation of 9.2 meters, and subjective levels of structural damage.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{UN doc|docid=ST/ESA/23|body=Secretariat, Department of Economic and Social Affairs|type=D|resolution_number=|document_number=|title=Low-cost construction resistant to earthquakes and hurricanes|date=31/12/1974|year=1974|language=English|pages=14-20;159-160}}</ref> 
{| class="wikitable"
|+Proposed Hurricane Damage Scale (UN 1974)<ref name=":2" />
|'''Grade'''
|'''Wind Speed Range'''
|-
|Grade 1
|120 - 140&nbsp;km/h
|-
|Grade 2
|151-180&nbsp;km/h
|-
|Grade 3
|181-210&nbsp;km/h
|-
|Grade 4
|211-240&nbsp;km/h
|-
|Grade 5
|241+&nbsp;km/h
|}


Saffir gave the proposed scale to the NHC for their use, where Simpson changed the terminology from "grade" to "category", organized them by sustained wind speeds of 1 minute duration, and added [[storm surge]] height ranges, adding barometric pressure ranges later on. In 1975, the Saffir-Simpson Scale was first published publicly.<ref name="Simpson interview" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/saffir-simpson-hurricane-scale.htm |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref>

In 2009, the NHC eliminated pressure and storm surge ranges from the categories, transforming it into a pure wind scale, called the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (Experimental) [SSHWS].<ref name="NHC SSHS">[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale ''National Hurricane Center''. Accessed 2009-05-15.]</ref> The updated scale became operational on May 15, 2010.<ref>[http://www.ofcm.gov/nhop/10/pdf/2010%20NHOP%20entire%20document.pdf National Hurricane Operations Plan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708201653/http://www.ofcm.gov/nhop/10/pdf/2010%20NHOP%20entire%20document.pdf |date=July 8, 2011 }}, [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]. Accessed July 3, 2010.</ref> The scale excludes flood ranges, [[storm surge]] estimations, rainfall, and location, which means a Category&nbsp;2 hurricane that hits a major city will likely do far more cumulative damage than a Category&nbsp;5 hurricane that hits a rural area.<ref name="LiveScience"/> The agency cited examples of hurricanes as reasons for removing "scientifically inaccurate" information, including [[Hurricane Katrina]] (2005) and [[Hurricane Ike]] (2008), which both had stronger than estimated storm surges, and [[Hurricane Charley]] (2004), which had weaker than estimated storm surge.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.weather.gov/infoservicechanges/sshws.pdf |title= Experimental Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale |year= 2009 |publisher= National Hurricane Center |access-date= August 17, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090806142811/http://www.weather.gov/infoservicechanges/sshws.pdf |archive-date= August 6, 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref> Since being removed from the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, storm surge prediction and modeling is handled by computer numerical models such as [[ADCIRC]] and [[Sea, Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes|SLOSH]].

In 2012, the NHC extended the wind speed range for Category&nbsp;4 by 1&nbsp;mph in both directions, to 130–156&nbsp;mph, with corresponding changes in the other units (113–136&nbsp;kn, 209–251&nbsp;km/h), instead of 131–155&nbsp;mph (114–135&nbsp;kn, 210–249&nbsp;km/h). The NHC and the [[Central Pacific Hurricane Center]] assign tropical cyclone intensities in 5&nbsp;knot increments, and then convert to mph and km/h with a similar rounding for other reports. So an intensity of 115&nbsp;kn is rated Category&nbsp;4, but the conversion to miles per hour (132.3&nbsp;mph) would round down to 130&nbsp;mph, making it appear to be a Category&nbsp;3 storm. Likewise, an intensity of 135&nbsp;kn (~155&nbsp;mph, and thus Category&nbsp;4) is 250.02&nbsp;km/h, which, according to the definition used before the change would be Category&nbsp;5.<ref name="NHC SSHS" />

To resolve these issues, the NHC had been obliged to incorrectly report storms with wind speeds of 115&nbsp;kn as 135&nbsp;mph, and 135&nbsp;kn as 245&nbsp;km/h. The change in definition allows storms of 115&nbsp;kn to be correctly rounded down to 130&nbsp;mph, and storms of 135&nbsp;kn to be correctly reported as 250&nbsp;km/h, and still qualify as Category&nbsp;4. Since the NHC had previously rounded incorrectly to keep storms in Category&nbsp;4 in each unit of measure, the change does not affect the classification of storms from previous years.<ref name="NHC SSHS" /> The new scale became operational on May 15, 2012.<ref>[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/20120301_pis_sshws.php Public Information Statement], [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]. Accessed March 9, 2012.</ref>