Gulf Of Mexico Water Hits 86 Degrees, Fuels Milton
In less than 36 hours, Hurricane Milton has gone from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm. It will destroy parts of Florida, probably from Tampa Bay to the area about 100 miles south of it. Winds could reach 150 MPH, and a storm surge could reach 20 feet. At that surge level, houses and businesses could be destroyed and washed away.
*More On Powerful Hurricanes
The primary reason the storm grew so rapidly is the water temperature in th Gulf of Mexico. The billions of dollars in damage are owed to that alone. The temperature is 86 degrees, which feeds storms at an alarming rate. And this temperature has risen considerably in the last several years.
According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, “The data show that the Gulf of Mexico sea surface temperature (SST) increased approximately 1.0°C (1.8°̊F) between 1970 and 2020, equivalent to a warming rate of approximately 0.19°C (0.34°F) per decade. The Gulf of Mexico warmed at twice the rate of warming in the global ocean near the sea surface.” In the last four years, it has probably warmed considerably.
Violent Storms
This data means that storms will become more powerful and violent quickly in the Gulf of Mexico. Milton will be in warm water for an extended period because it became progressively more violent as it moved from Mexico toward Florida.
Hurricane Milton joins Hurricane Beryl as a Category 5 storm for the 2024 hurricane season. There could be more.
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