Minor Change Proposed To Hurricane Wind Scale

MIAMI (CBS4) -- The National Hurricane Center is considering a minor change to the five-category system that describes a hurricane's strength.

The proposed change would broaden the Category 4 wind speed range to 130-156 mph. Category 4 hurricanes currently are defined as storms with top winds of 131-155 mph.

Forecasters said the change would smooth out a problem in converting a storm's intensity from knots to miles per hour or kilometers per hour for public advisories. The problem arises for storms at the extreme ends of the Category 4 wind speed range.

The hurricane center said the change won't alter any storm's categorization in their records.

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale classifies hurricanes by maximum sustained wind speeds, starting at 74 mph with Category 1. Category 3 and above is considered "major."

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