Hurricane Milton's rapid intensification is part of a climate trend
Hurricane Milton grew from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just over 24 hours. That rapid intensification is part of a trend fueled by climate change.
Hurricane Milton’s last 36 hours have been nothing short of astonishing, as it strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just over a day.
The storm’s blisteringly fast evolution is part of a trend of rapidly intensifying storms fueled by climate change.
The term “rapid intensification” describes an increase in sustained wind speeds of at least 35 mph over a 24-hour period, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Milton has obliterated that minimum, undergoing “extreme rapid intensification”: Its maximum sustained wind speed increased by 90 mph in roughly 25 hours, according to the nonprofit research group Climate Central.
Global warming is boosting the intensity of storms by providing the ingredients necessary for them to strengthen, including warm sea surface temperatures and high levels of moisture in the atmosphere.
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