Hurricane Milton Rapidly Intensifies to Category 5 Threatening Florida

Hurricane "Milton" rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm over warm Gulf waters, posing a threat to the southeastern United States, particularly Florida.

The unusually warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and low vertical wind shear fueled the strength of "Milton." Forecasts indicate that the hurricane will make landfall near Tampa Bay, bringing devastating impacts including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges.

On October 5, "Milton" upgraded from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane. Within 24 hours, its wind speeds increased from 80 mph to 175 mph, nearly triple the criteria for rapid intensification.

The SPoRT project uses satellite data from NASA and NOAA to improve weather forecasts. Its ocean surface temperature composite product integrates observations from multiple satellite sensors, updated twice daily, providing global sea surface temperature maps, trends, and anomalies.

Hurricane expert Patrick Duran noted that low vertical wind shear and "Milton's" small scale contributed to its rapid intensification. On October 8, the hurricane approached the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, expected to bring destructive winds and storm surges.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that "Milton" will make landfall near Tampa Bay later on October 9, sweeping across central Florida. Despite potential fluctuations in intensity, it will remain an extremely dangerous storm.

The National Weather Service warns of storm surges and large waves along the Florida Gulf Coast, with water levels near Tampa Bay expected to rise 10-15 feet above ground.

NASA's Disaster Response Coordination System has been activated to support agencies responding to the storm, including FEMA and the Florida Geospatial Information Office.