The Saffir-Simpson scale measures the intensity of hurricanes.
| Category | Wind Speed (mph) | Wind Speed (kts) | Pressure (mb) | Pressure (in) | Storm Surge (ft) |
| Tropical Depression | 23-39 | 20-34 | . | . | . |
| Tropical Storm | 40-74 | 35-64 | . | . | . |
| 1 | 75-95 | 64-83 | 980 | 28.94 | 4-5 |
| 2 | 96-110 | 84-96 | 965-979 | 28.50-28.91 | 6-8 |
| 3 | 111-130 | 97-113 | 945-964 | 27.91-28.47 | 9-12 |
| 4 | 131-155 | 114-135 | 920-944 | 27.17-27.88 | 13-18 |
| 5 | 155+ | 135+ | below 920 | below 27.17 | 18+ |
The Fujita Scale is primarily a measurement of wind damage. It is used to describe tornadoes by the severity of the damage that they cause, and can be used to describe the wind damage created by a hurricane. The scale was developed by Dr. Ted Fujita.
| Classification | Wind Speed (mph) | Damage |
| F0 | 40-72 | Minor |
| F1 | 73-112 | Moderate |
| F2 | 113-157 | Significant |
| F3 | 158-206 | Severe |
| F4 | 207-260 | Devastating |
| F5 | 261-318 | Incredible |
| Sea State | Wave Height (ft) | Wind Speed (kts) | Description |
| 1 | 0-1 | 4-6 | Smooth sea, no foam |
| 2 | 1-2 | 7-10 | Slight sea, small wavelets, no foam |
| 3 | 2-4 | 11-16 | Moderate sea, large wavelets, crests begin to break |
| 4 | 4-8 | 17-21 | Rough sea, moderate waves, many white caps |
| 5 | 8-13 | 22-27 | Very rough, seas heap up, spindrift and foam streaks |
| 6 | 13-20 | 28-47 | High sea, seas begin to roll, dense streaks of foam and spray |
| 7 | 20-30 | 48-55 | Very high sea, very high waves with overhanging crests, visibility reduced |
| 8 | 30-45 | 56-63 | Mountainous sea, very high, rolling, breaking waves, sea covered with foam, very poor visibility |