Hurricane Milton is the third-fastest intensifying storm on record in the Atlantic, according to more than 40 years of data from the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
The wind speed of this hurricane increased by 144 km/h in less than 24 hours, according to data from the institute. It is currently a Category 5 hurricane and is in the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm nearly tripled the criteria for rapid intensification, which is a 35 mph increase in wind speed in 24 hours or less.
Milton intensified faster than any other storm in the Gulf of Mexico, but this level of explosive strengthening is not unprecedented in the Atlantic.
Only two hurricanes have strengthened more than Milton in a 24-hour period: Wilma in 2005 and Felix in 2007.
Hurricane Wilma holds the record for rapid intensification for the Atlantic, dating back to 1982, John Kaplan of NOAA, the US national weather agency, told CNN last year.
Sustained winds in this storm increased by 177 km/h in a 24-hour period as it moved over the western Caribbean Sea in October 2005.
In 2007, Hurricane Felix rapidly intensified by 100 mph in 24 hours in the Caribbean.
Milton is the 13th named storm to form and the seventh to rapidly intensify in the Atlantic basin this season.
Rapid intensification is becoming a more likely situation as the world warms due to fossil fuel pollution and bodies of water become warmer and retain heat.
*Eric Zerkel, from CNN, contributed to this report
This content was originally published in Hurricane Milton has almost unprecedented rapid intensification on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
