Storm chasers Reed Timmer and Mike Theiss brave extreme weather events to gather valuable insights ... [+] and data about emerging weather patterns.

Extreme weather is simultaneously dangerous and awe inspiring. In the wake of Hurricane Hanna making landfall in Texas a week ago, and with Tropical Storm Isaias threatening the East Coast of the United States, Nat Geo is launching Category 6a new show focused on investigating extreme weather patterns and researching why these weather events seem to be getting more powerful and more destructive.

The name Category 6 is a reference to the way hurricane strength is measuredand the fact that it technically only goes up to Category 5. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale has levels for Category 1 from 74 to 95 miles per hour (mph) sustained wind speed, Category 2 from 96 110 (mph), Category 3 from 111 129 mph, Category 4 from 130 156 mph, and Category 5 for storms with sustained wind speed of 157 mph or higher.

In recent years, however, storm strength seems to have intensified and Category 5 alone may not be sufficient. In 2017, Hurricane Irma had sustained wind speeds of 185 mph for a period of time. Based on the span of wind speed in the other categories, it would make sense to define the top end of Category 5 around 170 mph or 175 mph and create a Category 6 for storms more powerful than that.

The show Category 6 is not focused purely on hurricanes, though. Meteorologist and storm chaser Reed Timmer is joined by professional storm chaser Mike Theiss track down extreme weather events and collect valuable data. As you can see in this exclusive preview clip, these guys are rather daring or rather insane depending on your perspective. While others flee dangerous storms, these guys are racing to intercept themand deploy high-tech equipment into the heart of the storm to gather valuable information and insight.

I asked Nat Geo about the technology being used. Here are some of the key technologies used by the Category 6 storm chasers:

Tornado Ground Probe- In an unpredictable 2020 tornado season, any data point Reed Timmer and his team can collect is a valuable contribution to understanding the science behind how storms are evolving in a changing global climate. Reeds main goal is to deploy this custom-built ground probe directly in the path of a tornado - collecting unprecedented data inside the storm including temperature, moisture, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed data. The probe is also outfitted with a 360 degree camera system to capture video inside the circulation of the tornado.

The H.E.R.V. (Hurricane Eyewall Research Vehicle)- Mike Theiss custom built research vehicle is engineered to provide the mobility and safety needed to document major Hurricanes in the continental United States. Equipped with the tools needed for capturing both video and weather data (Wind Speed, Wind Direction and Barometric Pressure) from the most extreme and powerful Hurricanes - the H.E.R.V.s missionis to penetrate the eyewall and eye of a major hurricane to collect unprecedented data from these storms that are growing larger and more frequent.

Windy Palms Devices The team will attach anemometers to palm treesin several locations along the coast where the hurricane will make landfall - measuring wind and barometric pressure in areas where humans wouldn't survive. By attaching devices to palm trees that bend and don't break we can utilize nature's natural resistance to the extreme winds. The goal is to capture the wind speed coming off the water unobstructed - winds that people can't usually experience or record directly.

Infrasound SensorThis sensor responds to sound waves with frequencies below the lower limit of human audibility. Hurricanes generate sound waves detectable through the air thousands of miles away - with the strongest infrasound signals coming from the storms center, which is the most dangerous part of the hurricane. Measuring infrasound could be a good way to measure the wave conditions near these storms - helping researchers monitor ocean wave activity and track marine storms.

The data these guys collect can help us understand emerging trends that are driving more extreme weather patterns, and give meteorologists and affected communities valuable insight they can use to better prepare for and respond to these natural disasters. Category 6 will premiere on National Geographic in 2021.

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Category 6 Uses Technology And Adrenaline To Research Extreme Weather Trends - Forbes