Category 6
99% Invisible
00:00
The Limitations of Adding a Category Six to Hurricane Classification
The National Hurricane Center is hesitant to add a category six to hurricane classification due to concerns in the scientific community that it could lead to unintended consequences. There is a fear that the public may not respond differently to a category six compared to a category four or five, leading to confusion and potential inaction. Too many categories in a scale can make it harder for people to interpret the severity, with studies showing that five is already a number the human mind can easily comprehend. The consensus from the NHC is that category fours and fives are still considered catastrophic, raising doubts about the necessity of introducing a category six.
Transcript
Play full episode
