What Is the Highest Category Hurricane? Milton Shocks With Category 5 Update

As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida’s west coast, many are wondering how powerful a storm can become. Discover more about the official hurricane scale here.

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October 7, 2024 4:05PM EDT
ATLANTIC OCEAN - SEPTEMBER 10: In this NASA handout image taken by Astronaut Ricky Arnold, Hurricane Florence gains strength in the Atlantic Ocean as it moves west, seen from the International Space Station on September 10, 2018. Weather predictions say the storm will likely hit the U.S. East Coast as early as Thursday, September 13 bringing massive winds and rain. (Photo by NASA via Getty Images)
Image Credit: Getty Images

It’s hurricane season for the East Coast of the United States, and, as usual, the Southeast is taking the brunt of new storms. Now that Hurricane Helene has passed, Florida is bracing for Hurricane Milton. After the incoming hurricane intensified to the highest category, storm watchers are wondering how high the category scale goes.

Hurricane Milton Strengthens to a Category 5

On October 7, Hurricane Milton had strengthened into a Category 3, then quickly escalated to a Category 4 storm. Just hours later, it was classified as a Category 5 by the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“MILTON RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES INTO A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE,” the NHC tweeted. “Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Milton has strengthened to a category 5. The max sustained winds are estimated to be 160 mph with higher gusts.”

Florida is now under a state of emergency, and multiple counties have been issued evacuation orders. Moreover, certain Orlando attractions, such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Resort, are monitoring the hurricane.

Is There a Category 6 Hurricane?

There is no such thing as a Category 6 hurricane, despite online rumors. Dramatizations of inclement weather have been created over the years, such as the disaster miniseries Category 7: The End of the World.

What Is the Highest Hurricane Category?

The highest category hurricane is a Category 5, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale. Per the National Weather Service (NWS), the scale from 1 to 5 measures wind speed.

“This scale estimates potential property damage,” the NWS’ site reads. “Hurricanes reaching Category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage.”

A Category 1 storm has winds between 74 to 95 miles per hour, while a Category 2 has winds ranging from 96 to 110 miles per hour. A Category 3 hurricane will have winds between 111 to 129 miles per hour, and a Category 4 is measured at 130 to 156 miles per hour.

A Category 5 hurricane has winds of 157 miles per hour or higher. One of the most destructive Category 5 storms to hit Florida was in 1992 during Hurricane Andrew.