What Do Hurricane Categories Mean?

Hurricane Florence is headed for the East Coast and has been categorized as a Category 3 storm.
Hurricane intensity is most commonly measured by what's called the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Business Insider reports that the scale is determined by the sustained wind speeds of a storm.
A category 1 storm will produce winds of 74-95 mph and storm surges of 4 to 5 feet above normal.
Category 2 brings winds of 96-110 mph with storm surge of 6 to 8 feet. These storms can damage homes.