Does the category of a hurricane even matter anymore? The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale was developed in 1971 based entirely upon damage from a storm's winds. But today, it's the flooding and storm surge from hurricanes which cause more than 75% of all deaths. The deputy director of the National Hurricane Center explains why a hurricane's category isn't what you should pay attention to.

Why are hurricanes intensifying so much more quickly than ever before? It's all the "jet fuel" the oceans hold as they keep getting hotter. NBC Miami hurricane specialist John Morales talks with meteorologist Chase Cain about the growing threat of extreme rapid intensification and how it erases time to safely evacuate.

If you'd like to see the impacts of the storms that John and Chase discuss in this episode, you can watch here: https://www.nbcmiami.com/video/news/national-international/turbo-charged-tropical-cyclones-are-making-the-saffir-simpson-hurricane-scale-outdated/3681600/

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season remains on-track for an above average year. John Morales explains what that could mean for South Florida on NBC Miami: https://www.nbcmiami.com/weather/hurricane-season/john-morales-on-noaas-updated-outlook-and-current-disturbances-in-atlantic/3674488/