Hurricane Milton’s trajectory wobbled slightly, which meant Ocala was no longer in the path of the hurricane.

After rapidly intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico, Milton surged from a 60-mph tropical storm on Sunday to a 180-mph Category 5 hurricane by Monday, a 130-mph increase in just 36 hours. Though a Category 6 classification doesn’t officially exist, this storm's intensity has reignited discussions among experts about the need for an additional category beyond the current scale, which tops out at Category 5 (winds above 157 mph). As climate change drives more extreme storms, many argue that the current scale, developed in the 1970s, is becoming inadequate.

The Saffir-Simpson scale, created by Herbert Saffir and former National Hurricane Center director Robert Simpson, categorizes hurricanes based on wind speed, with Category 5 covering all wind speeds beyond 157 mph. Simpson once said this limit was set because winds stronger than Category 5 would cause catastrophic damage regardless of a building's engineering. Some experts have proposed adding a Category 6 for storms with winds exceeding 192 mph, though there are concerns that focusing solely on wind speeds could mislead the public, as water – not wind – is often the deadliest aspect of hurricanes.

A lesser-known but fascinating hurricane indicator is the “Waffle House Index.” Used by FEMA and other officials, the index helps gauge a hurricane's impact based on whether Waffle House restaurants in the storm's path remain open. Known for staying open during severe weather, Waffle House’s operations serve as a practical barometer for local conditions. The index uses a stoplight approach: green means the restaurant is fully operational, yellow signals limited service (often running on generators or short supplies), and red means it’s closed, signaling extreme conditions. With over 1,600 locations in hurricane-prone areas, Waffle House’s status is often a reflection of the storm’s impact on a community.

FEMA acknowledges that businesses like Waffle House can be key indicators of a community's recovery process. In a 2017 post, FEMA noted that open businesses like hardware stores enable people to gather the necessary supplies to rebuild and recover from the storm.

Since opening in 1971, Walt Disney World has closed unexpectedly for a total of nine events as of 2024:

Hurricane Floyd (1999) – The first time Walt Disney World closed due to weather.

9/11 Terrorist Attacks (2001) – Closed early on the day of the attacks.

Hurricane Charley (2004) – Closed due to the Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Frances (2004) – Closed during the storm's approach.

Hurricane Jeanne (2004) – The park was closed again for this third hurricane that season.

Hurricane Matthew (2016) – Closed due to the storm’s path near the Orlando area.

Hurricane Irma (2017) – Closed for two days due to this major hurricane.

Hurricane Dorian (2019) – Closed for parts of the day when Dorian approached.

COVID-19 Pandemic (2020) – Closed from March 15 to July 11, marking the longest closure in its history.

Because families sometimes spend years saving and planning their family trip to Walt Disney World they will only close for significant events like 9/11 and the COVID-19 global pandemic, and catastrophic weather events.

Walt Disney World closed for the 10th time in its history for Hurricane Milton.

What are your thoughts? Should there be a category 6 storm?