" A lot of people talk about first responders, and I have the utmost respect for that, but we're sort of like pre-first-responders."

The point where the roiling ocean meets the fury of a hurricane's winds may hold the key to improving storm intensity forecasts — but it's nearly impossible for scientists to see.

That may change this summer, thanks to post-Hurricane Sandy federal funding and a handful of winged drones that can spend hours spiraling in a hurricane's dark places, transmitting data that could help forecasters understand what makes some storms fizzle while others strengthen into monsters. Knowing that information while a storm is still far offshore could help emergency managers better plan for evacuations or storm surge risks.

Read more at the Miami Herald.