CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Milton has only existed for a little more than 48 hours, but the major hurricane is already a beast of a storm. As of 4 p.m. on October 7, the storm is a menacing Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
On the current forecast track, Milton is set to be the strongest storm to hit the Tampa Bay Area in more than a century.
The storm has Floridians scrambling to complete preparations, while still cleaning up after last week's Major Hurricane Helene. Florida hasn't seen back-to-back hurricane like this since the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. The storm is as unique as it is foreboding, so let's see how it stands up to the record books so far.
MILTON IS THE SECOND CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE OF THE 2024 SEASON
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was forecast to be an active one. After an aggressive start to the season with Alberto, Beryl, and Chris all taking aim at the western Gulf of Mexico, there was a lull in activity from Mid-July to mid-September. That lull left many skeptical that the season would be as grueling as the seasonal outlooks suggested. Helene and Milton are already picking up the pace.
An average Atlantic hurricane season would produce 14 named storms of which seven would become hurricanes, three of those major hurricanes. NOAA's outlook was updated on August 8, 2024.
So far 2024 has produced 13 named storms, nine hurricanes, of which four have become major hurricanes. Beryl and Milton have been the only Category 5 beasts. Beryl became the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record, but Milton is making its own mark in the record books.
MILTON IS A RARE THREAT
This storm is one of a kind. It has strengthened so quickly and vigorously in less than 3 days. Thankfully, the storm is not a direct threat for the Texas coast, despite forming nearby. The tropical wave that became Milton is what gave the Coastal Bend beneficial tropical rainfall over the weekend.
Milton is notably strong for both October and Gulf of Mexico records. The time of year is what is helping Texas, only to Florida's detriment. In October, storms typically form in the very warm waters of the western Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, then chart a course east as stronger steering currents (westerlies) develop. This is the benefit of fall: the same upper-level weather patterns that push cold fronts south through Texas, steering tropical trouble away from the Lone Star State. Unseasonably warm sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and little wind shear have given Milton the ability to simply explode. Milton's position near the more shallow Yucatán continental shelfonly provide a more secure source of deep, warm water and likely contributed to its rapid intensification.
MILTON IS CLIMBING THE RANKS
This major hurricane is somewhat unique. While no two storms are the same, Milton has set itself apart in many key metrics:
- Milton is the strongest Atlantic hurricane in five years, since Dorian in 2019.
- Milton is one of the deepest Atlantic hurricanes. It is tied for eighth lowest pressure in millibars (mb):
- Wilma (2005) 882 mb
- Gilbert (1988) 888 mb
- "Labor Day" (1935) 892 mb
- Rita- (2005) 895 mb
- Allen (1980) 899 mb
- Camille (1969) 900 mb
- Katrina (2005) 902 mb
- Mitch (1998), Dean (2007), and now Milton 905 mb (as of 4 p.m. October 7).
- Milton is the third deepest hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico since 1979 behind Rita, Allen, and Katrina.
- Milton is one of the strongest hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico by wind speed. It ranks second behind Allen in August 1980 and is tied with Rita in September 2005, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (as of 4 p.m. October 7). It's worth noting that Milton is the strongest this late in the season.
- Milton is one of the most rapidly intensifying hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin. Only seven storms have raced from Category 1 to Category 5 strength in 24 hours or less:
- Wilma (2005) 12 hours
- Milton, Maria (2017) 18 hours
- Felix (2007), Dean (2007), Andrew (1992), Anita (1977) 24 hours
