Hurricane CategoriesFrom "meh" to "leave now"
One number decides the category: sustained wind speed. That's it. Surge, rain and tornadoes aren't part of the score, and they're often what does the most damage. Category 3 and up is a major hurricane.
Tropical depression
An organized system with a closed circulation that has not yet been named. It can still bring heavy rain and flooding.
Tropical storm
Receives a name. Not on the Saffir-Simpson scale, but can cause dangerous flooding, storm surge and tornadoes.
Category 1
Very dangerous winds will produce some damage: roofs, shingles, gutters and large tree branches; power outages likely for days.
Category 2
Extremely dangerous winds: major roof and siding damage, many shallow-rooted trees uprooted, near-total power loss for days to weeks.
Category 3
Major hurricane. Devastating damage: well-built homes may lose roof decking and gable ends; electricity and water unavailable for days to weeks.
Category 4
Major hurricane. Catastrophic damage: severe damage to well-built homes, most trees snapped or uprooted, areas uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Category 5
Major hurricane. Catastrophic damage: a high percentage of homes destroyed, areas uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Scale and damage descriptions: National Hurricane Center. The faces are ours; the jokes stop at Category 3.