It seems Andrew was considered minimal. And then it hit the Gulf Stream and exploded. Had it been a bigger storm, like this one, and had that explosive growth, it is hard to imagine the damage.
If Matthew intensifies and follows the coast, there will be significant damage, if only to the barrier islands. Best for everyone would be if it bounced off and stayed off shore.
That said, the previous hyping of every storm generates disregard by the residents. They see no reason to leave when the media is yelling loudly again.
The Gulfstream looks to be bathtub like and the high-pressure ridge to the east means no tail out to see reprieve this time. Worried, very worried for my family in So Fla.
If Andrew made landfall just 20 miles north of where it did, the damage would probably had been 10-fold.