A recent analysis released on Monday reveals that Hurricane Milton, currently a Category 5 storm, is being fueled by exceptionally warm ocean waters, a phenomenon exacerbated by human-induced climate change. The nonprofit research group Climate Central reported that the record-breaking ocean temperatures supporting Hurricane Milton were made 400 to 800 times more likely due to climate change over the past two weeks.
On Monday, Hurricane Milton traversed through the warm waters, rapidly intensifying into a rare Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds reaching 175 mph. The storm's wind speeds surged by 95 mph in less than 24 hours, a rate that is nearly unprecedented in meteorological records.
Climate scientist Daniel Gilford from Climate Central emphasized that the warming of Gulf waters, attributed to climate change, played a significant role in the rapid intensification of Hurricane Milton, heightening its danger level. The study conducted by Climate Central involved analyzing both real-world observations and climate models to determine the likelihood of extreme weather events like Hurricane Milton occurring in a world without global warming.
The rise in rapidly intensifying storms is becoming more frequent as global temperatures increase due to the burning of fossil fuels. Gilford warned that this trend is amplifying the threat posed by severe weather events like Hurricane Milton, underscoring the urgent need for climate action to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
