View source for Saffir-Simpson scale

The '''Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale''' ('''SSHWS''') classifies '''hurricanes'''—which in the '''Western Hemisphere''' are '''tropical cyclones''' that exceed the intensities of '''tropical depressions''' and '''tropical storms'''—into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained '''winds'''. This measuring system was formerly known as the '''Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale''', or '''SSHS'''. The scale was retired in 2050 in the Atlantic basin in favor of the '''[[Sharkius-Leaf scale]]'''.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; color: black;" |<big>Saffir-Simpson scale</big>
|-
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:#DDDDDD;" scope="col" |Category
! colspan="4" style="text-align:center; background:#DDDDDD;" scope="col" |Wind speeds
<small>(1-min sustained winds)</small>
|- style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal;"
| style="text-align:center; background:#DDDDDD;" |'''m/s'''
| style="text-align:center; background:#DDDDDD;" |'''knots (kn)'''
| style="text-align:center; background:#DDDDDD;" |'''mph'''
| style="text-align:center; background:#DDDDDD;" |'''km/h'''
|- style="text-align:right;"
! style="text-align:center; text-shadow: {{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextGlow|sshwscat5}}; color: #{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextColor|sshwscat5}}; background:#{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderBackgroundColor|sshwscat5}};" scope="row" |{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderCategoryLabelSSHWS|sshwscat5}}
|{{nowrap| ≥ 70 m/s &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap| ≥ 137 kn &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap| '''≥ 157 mph''' &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap| ≥ 252 km/h &nbsp;}}
|- style="text-align: right;"
! style="text-align:center; text-shadow: {{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextGlow|sshwscat4}}; color: #{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextColor|sshwscat4}}; background:#{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderBackgroundColor|sshwscat4}};" scope="row" |{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderCategoryLabelSSHWS|sshwscat4}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 58-70 m/s &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 113-136 kn &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; '''130-156 mph''' &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 209-251 km/h &nbsp;}}
|- style="text-align: right;"
! style="text-align:center; text-shadow: {{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextGlow|sshwscat3}}; color: #{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextColor|sshwscat3}}; background:#{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderBackgroundColor|sshwscat3}};" scope="row" |{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderCategoryLabelSSHWS|sshwscat3}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 50-58 m/s &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 96-112 kn &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; '''111-129 mph''' &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 178-208 km/h &nbsp;}}
|- style="text-align: right;"
! style="text-align:center; text-shadow: {{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextGlow|sshwscat2}}; color: #{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextColor|sshwscat2}}; background:#{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderBackgroundColor|sshwscat2}};" scope="row" |{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderCategoryLabelSSHWS|sshwscat2}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 43-49 m/s &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 83-95 kn &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; '''96-110 mph''' &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 154-177 km/h &nbsp;}}
|- style="text-align: right;"
! style="text-align:center; text-shadow: {{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextGlow|sshwscat1}}; color: #{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextColor|sshwscat1}}; background:#{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderBackgroundColor|sshwscat1}};" scope="row" |{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderCategoryLabelSSHWS|sshwscat1}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 33-42 m/s &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 64-82 kn &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; '''74-95 mph''' &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 119-153 km/h &nbsp;}}
|- style="text-align: right;"
! style="text-align:center; text-shadow: {{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextGlow|sshwsstorm}}; color: #{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextColor|sshwsstorm}}; background:#{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderBackgroundColor|sshwsstorm}};" scope="row" |{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderCategoryLabelSSHWS|sshwsstorm}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 18-32 m/s &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 34-63 kn &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; '''39-73 mph''' &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; 63-118 km/h &nbsp;}}
|- style="text-align: right;"
! style="text-align:center; text-shadow: {{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextGlow|sshwsdepression}}; color: #{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderTextColor|sshwsdepression}}; background:#{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderBackgroundColor|sshwsdepression}};" scope="row" |{{#invoke:StormCategoryColor|renderCategoryLabelSSHWS|sshwsdepression}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; ≤ 17 m/s &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; ≤ 33 kn &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; '''≤ 38 mph''' &nbsp;}}
|{{nowrap|&nbsp; ≤ 62 km/h &nbsp;}}
|}