Hurricane Ian: Why 'Category 4' doesn't capture its danger

Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida's southwestern coast Wednesday as a strong Category 4 storm, making it one of only 15 Category 4 or 5 hurricanes on

Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida's southwestern coast Wednesday as a strong Category 4 storm, making it one of only 15 Category 4 or 5 hurricanes on record to hit the state.

Its rating could understate how much destruction the storm brings.

Even as Ian gathered strength and neared Category 5 status, experts warned that solely paying attention to a hurricane's category often masks just how destructive and life-threatening these storms can be — particularly as climate change makes hurricanes both rainier and more intense.

Hurricane Ian is already proving to be a devastating storm. After knocking out power to all of Cuba on Tuesday, Ian is forecast to dump up to 24 inches of rain over parts of Florida and trigger up to 18-foot storm surges from Englewood to Bonita Beach, according to the National Hurricane Center.

And the sheer size of Ian isn't conveyed by its category.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/hurricane-ian-category-doesnt-capture-danger-rcna49622

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