Michael Wehner, a climate scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, said, “While the storm’s intensity is shocking, it is not unexpected.” Experts have long warned that warmer climates would lead to more severe storms. Milton’s intensification was fueled by warm sea-surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, high humidity, and favorable atmospheric conditions with low wind shear.
Milton’s path through the western Gulf, an area not hit by previous storms this season, allowed it to strengthen rapidly. Unlike Hurricane Helene, Milton developed a compact, symmetrical core with wind speeds surging by 90 miles per hour in one day, making it one of the fastest-intensifying storms on record.
Recent years have seen an increase in rapidly intensifying storms, reducing preparation time for residents. Examples include Hurricanes Otis, Idalia, and Ian. Scientists like Kerry Emanuel have predicted that hurricanes would intensify more quickly as the planet warms. Tom Knutson’s research at NOAA suggests an increase in Category 4 and 5 storms in the coming decades.
Although Milton has been downgraded to Category 4, it may still regain Category 5 status. Florida is preparing for potential evacuations of over six million people. Rising sea levels in the Gulf of Mexico, driven by climate change, could push the storm surge farther inland with more force. The Tampa Bay area has seen a nearly five-inch rise in sea levels over the last 14 years, worsening flooding risks.Heavy rainfall is also expected, increasing the risk of flooding in an already saturated Florida. Climate change has contributed to higher rainfall totals during recent hurricanes, making such events more severe than they might have been in the past.
As scientists study the impact of climate change on Hurricane Milton, the storm highlights the need to be prepared for increasingly intense weather patterns.
