Live updates: Lala strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane, hammering Hawaii with rain and wind
The classification method is called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and it has been used by the National Hurricane Center to evaluate the strength of hurricanes since the early 1970s.The classification method is called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and it has been used by the National Hurricane Center to evaluate the strength of hurricanes since the early 1970s.
As hurricanes churn over the ocean, the powerful winds actually push water to pile up on the coast. NOAA defines storm surge as the abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide. The tide and storm surge together can reach up to 20 feet, according to the National Hurricane Center.