diff --git a/static/score.js b/static/score.js
index 9f18fa8..8ba4d6d 100644
--- a/static/score.js
+++ b/static/score.js
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ function render(data) {
 // Explains what wet bulb is and reports the share of heat-stress ("wet-bulb")
 // days vs normal days, recent vs baseline. Re-rendered on unit change.
 function wetbulbNote(m, baseYrs) {
-  const def = `<strong>Wet bulb</strong> is how cool evaporation — like sweat — can make you in the
-    current air. When it climbs, sweat stops shedding heat and high temperatures turn dangerous.`;
+  const def = `<strong>Wet bulb</strong> is the lowest temperature that evaporating sweat can cool you to.
+    When it climbs, sweat can't shed heat fast enough and hot days turn dangerous.`;
   if (!m || m.score == null || !m.freq) {
     return `<p class="score-callout">${def}</p>`;
   }
@@ -161,28 +161,30 @@ function wetbulbNote(m, baseYrs) {
     vs <strong>${f45}%</strong> across ${baseYrs}${delta} — the rest are normal.</p>`;
 }
 
-// One metric score card (reuses .normal-card). Null metrics show a muted reason.
+// One metric score card. The tier and its direction stack under the score on
+// their own lines (rather than crammed top-right), so a long grade like
+// "Extreme shift — windier" never clusters in the corner on a narrow card.
 function metricCard(m) {
   if (!m) return "";
   if (m.score == null) {
-    return `<section class="normal-card">
-      <div class="nc-head"><h3>${esc(m.label)}</h3></div>
+    return `<section class="normal-card score-card">
+      <h3>${esc(m.label)}</h3>
       <div class="big" style="--cat:var(--muted)">—</div>
       <div class="range">${esc(m.reason || "no data")}</div>
     </section>`;
   }
-  return `<section class="normal-card" style="--cat:${tintColor(m.class)}">
-    <div class="nc-head"><h3>${esc(m.label)}</h3><span class="nc-grade">${esc(m.grade)}</span></div>
+  return `<section class="normal-card score-card" style="--cat:${tintColor(m.class)}">
+    <h3>${esc(m.label)}</h3>
     <div class="big">${m.score}</div>
-    <div class="range">${scoreDirection(m)}</div>
+    <div class="nc-tier">${esc(m.tier)}</div>
+    <div class="range">${scoreDetail(m)}</div>
   </section>`;
 }
 
-// A short "shifted N pts warmer" line for a metric card.
-function scoreDirection(m) {
-  if (m.score < 15) return "steady vs the long-term normal";
-  const pts = Math.abs(m.bias).toFixed(0);
-  return `~${pts} pts ${esc(m.direction)}`;
+// The muted detail line under a card's tier — the signed drift, or a steady note.
+function scoreDetail(m) {
+  if (m.score < 15) return "close to the long-term normal";
+  return `~${Math.abs(m.bias).toFixed(0)} pts ${esc(m.direction)}`;
 }
 
 function seasonCell(m) {
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index d4a629e..7c5f5c9 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -1731,6 +1731,15 @@ td.rec-date { color: var(--muted); font-size: 13px; }
 
 .score-section { margin: 20px 0; }
 
+/* Score metric cards: name · score · tier · detail, each on its own line so a
+   long grade never crams into the corner on a narrow (2-up) phone card. */
+.score-card h3 { margin-bottom: 6px; }
+.score-card .nc-tier {
+  font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; margin-top: 3px; line-height: 1.25;
+  color: color-mix(in oklab, var(--cat, var(--muted)), var(--text) 22%);
+}
+.score-card .range { margin-top: 1px; }
+
 /* Wet-bulb explainer + heat-stress-day share. */
 .score-callout {
   background: var(--surface-2); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 12px;