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Subject: A3) What is a super-typhoon? What is a major hurricane ? What is an intense hurricane ?
Contributed by Stan Goldenberg
"Super-typhoon" is a term utilized by the U.S. Joint Typhoon
Warning Center for typhoons that reach maximum
sustained 1-minute surface winds of at least 65 m/s (130 kt,
150 mph). This is the equivalent of a strong
Saffir-Simpson category 4 or category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic
basin or a category 5 severe tropical cyclone in
the Australian basin.
"Major hurricane" is a term utilized by the National
Hurricane Center for hurricanes that reach maximum
sustained 1-minute surface winds of at least 50 m/s (96 kt, 111
mph). This is the equivalent of category 3, 4 and 5
on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
"Intense hurricane" is an unofficial term ,
but is often used in the scientific literature. It is the same as
"major hurricane".
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