Data: NOAA; Map: Jared Whalen/Axios
Hurricane Milton became the 10th major hurricane with an intensity of Category 3 or greater to make landfall along the Gulf Coast since 2017.
Why it matters: The spate of storms has caused billions in damage and driven up the cost of home and flood insurance in several states, including Florida.
Between the lines: Human-caused climate change is contributing to the rapid intensification and heavy rainfall from storms such as Hurricane Milton, along with Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.
- Milton explosively intensified from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 monster in just 24 hours while over record-warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
- However, scientists don't consider climate change the main driver behind the number of Category 3 or higher storms in the Gulf, since such storms have occurred throughout hurricane history, with periods of relative quiet.
- It may just be bad luck, combined with a climate-change assist that pushed some Category 2 storms into the upper echelon of intensity.
Threat level: Hurricane Milton's storm surge spared Tampa as the center of the storm crossed the coast to the south of the city, bringing offshore winds to Tampa Bay.
- However, the region from Sarasota to Naples saw the worst surge, the impacts of which will become clearer as winds subside today.
- The broad footprint of strong winds, reaching from the west coast to the eastern shores of the state has knocked out power to more than 3 million customers across Florida.
- The winds, which gusted to at least 102 mph in Sarasota, shredded the roof of Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, and knocked a construction crane onto the Tampa Bay Times Building.
Zoom in: The storm brought an unusually prolific tornado outbreak to southern and central Florida, with powerful, long-lasting tornadoes that are atypical for tropical storms and hurricanes.
- In addition, torrential rains of up to 18 inches fell from Tampa-St. Petersburg to Orlando. This is well above a month's worth of rain in just several hours.
- Flash flood emergencies, the most dire type of flood warning, were issued into early this morning in Tampa and central Florida as floodwaters entered homes and businesses and rivers rose to record levels.
The bottom line: Hurricane Milton may not have been the surge disaster Tampa officials feared but has been a multifaceted, costly storm that is now part of the post-2017 trend in the Gulf.
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