In a dramatic turn of events, Hurricane Milton Quickly upgrade from Category 1 to Category 1 Category 5 storm In just 12 hours, climate scientists and meteorologists were shocked. Veteran South Florida meteorologist John Morales struggled to stay calm as he explained how quickly the storm was intensifying. The technical details behind this shift (such as a 50-millibar pressure drop) may not resonate with most people, but to professionals like Morales, it signaled a coming disaster. The state was still recovering from Hurricane Helene, and Milton, a more compact and faster-spinning storm, posed a greater threat.
Hurricane Milton exemplifies the type of storm climate experts have long warned about. Michael Weiner, a climate scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, said that while the intensity of the storm was shocking, it was not surprising. A warming climate has caused storms, and while the storms themselves are still terrible, they are now being intensified by environmental change.
Milton’s growth was driven by a number of factors that combined to create a catastrophic storm.
rising ocean surface temperatures gulf of mexico Provides huge amounts of energy, transforming it into powerful power. High humidity also plays a role, as warmer air holds more moisture, and atmospheric instability helps hurricanes maintain their form. Due to La Niña conditions, the lack of wind shear kept the storm well organized, further increasing its intensity.
Another key factor is Milton’s path through the western Gulf of Mexico, an area largely untouched by previous storms this season, allowing it to fuel itself in uncooled waters. Unlike Hurricane Helene, which took time to consolidate, Milton formed a compact and highly symmetrical core. In just one day, wind speeds soared to 90 mph, making it one of the strongest storms ever recorded.
Storms have increased in number and rapidly intensified in recent years, leaving residents with limited time to prepare. Hurricanes Otis, Idalia and Ian are the latest examples of a phenomenon that scientists like Kerry Emanuel have long predicted will intensify faster as the planet warms. Although as to whether climate change While the total number of storms will be reduced, it is generally accepted that the storms that do form are likely to be more severe. Research by Tom Knutson of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests that Category 4 and 5 storms are likely to increase in the United States in the coming decades.
Hurricane Milton has now been downgraded to Category 4, but continues to grow in size and may still regain its Category 5 status. Florida is preparing for the possible evacuation of more than 6 million people as the storm approaches. Rising sea levels in the Gulf of Mexico due to climate change means storm surges can reach farther inland and be more powerful than in the past. For example, sea levels in the Tampa Bay area have risen nearly 5 inches over the past 14 years, which will exacerbate the effects of flooding.
In addition, the storm is expected to bring heavy rain to already saturated Florida, increasing the risk of flooding. Rainfall is one of the more well-understood consequences of climate change, becoming more extreme with storms like Milton. Preliminary research suggests that climate change has led to increased rainfall totals during recent hurricanes, making such events more severe than under pre-industrial conditions.
As scientists prepare to study the full impact of climate change on Hurricane Milton, the storm is a reminder of the increasingly intense weather patterns the world must contend with in the future. While the scale of the devastation may shock us, we shouldn’t be surprised—we’ve been warned that such storms are coming.
