Forecasters in the United States are sounding the alarm about Hurricane Milton. The storm rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 superstorm on October 7, just one day after officially becoming a Category 1 hurricane.
The latest hurricane forecast from the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Hurricane Milton is expected to "increase in size and remain an extremely dangerous storm as it approaches the west coast of Florida on October 9."
There are many reasons why hurricane forecasters are terrified of Hurricane Milton, according to The Hill.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) pointed out that Milton became a hurricane on October 6 and rapidly intensified to a Category 5 super typhoon on October 7. Rapid intensification, as defined by the NHC, is an increase in sustained wind speed of "at least 30 knots over a 24-hour period," equivalent to 56 km/h.
“This storm is an illustration of how quickly hurricanes can intensify: You go to bed with a normal hurricane and wake up to a monster Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds,” said CNN meteorologist Elisa Raffa.
"It's really unusual and scary. This is a trend that happens when the oceans retain heat and fuel stronger storms," Raffa noted.
Noting that Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified, the nonprofit science organization Climate Central said that rising ocean temperatures due to climate change are fueling more powerful tropical storms. The organization noted that Hurricane Milton moved through the western Gulf of Mexico, where the water is unusually warm.
In its hurricane forecast, the NHC said Hurricane Milton poses an extreme threat to Florida residents.
“A major storm is expected to impact a large area along parts of Florida’s west coast on October 9. This is an extremely life-threatening situation and residents in those areas should follow the advice of local officials and evacuate immediately if required,” the NHC warned.
In addition to the major storm, the NHC also warned of the potential for destructive winds along parts of Florida's west coast along with heavy rain directly related to Hurricane Milton from October 8-9.
“This rainfall will bring the risk of flash flooding, urban flooding and widespread flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding,” the NHC added.
Bryan Bennett, a Tampa-area forecaster, warned that Hurricane Milton “could be our Katrina,” referring to the catastrophic storm that devastated New Orleans in 2005. When Milton makes landfall in Florida, “sustained winds will be in the 125-mph range, with gusts of up to 155 mph.”
