Tropical storms are measured by the _____

• A. Saffir-Simpson Scale
• B. Kelvin scale
• C. Richter scale
• D. Beaufort scale

Answer: (A)

Measuring how strong a tropical cyclone becomes uses the Saffir-Simpson scale, which classifies the storm strictly by its sustained wind speeds to estimate potential damage. As winds strengthen, the category rises from the weakest hurricane range to the strongest, with higher wind speeds signaling greater impact on structures and preparations. This scale provides a clear, standardized way to communicate risk to the public and authorities and to guide safety decisions.

The other scales measure different things: the Beaufort scale estimates wind force from observed sea conditions and surface effects, not the actual damage potential of a hurricane; the Kelvin scale is for temperature; the Richter scale is for earthquake magnitude.