Infrared Imagery Shows Hurricane Milton's Rapid Strengthening (original) (raw)

Why Milton is already a hurricane for the record books

While it's still hours away from making landfall and has yet to cause any damage, Hurricane Milton is already rewriting the record books, officials said. "I think for the west-central coast of Florida, this has the potential to be the most impactful hurricane we've seen in living memory, given the scope of the impacts from the storm surge," Mike Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, told ABC News. Milton is forecast to make landfall between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET Wednesday near Sarasota as a Category 3 hurricane with wind gusts of over 100 mph. On Wednesday afternoon, Milton was a Category 4 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico about 150 miles southwest of Tampa, and moving toward Florida's west coast at 16 mph.

Satellite Shows Hurricane Milton Nearing Florida Coast

Timelapse satellite imagery shows Hurricane Milton as it barreled through the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida over October 8 and 9.The Colorado-based Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) posted two animations. The first depicts the storm over a roughly 24-hour period up to 10:36 am on Wednesday, October 9, while the second animation, which contains infrared imagery, spans the roughly two-hour period from 8:20 am to 10:30 am on Wednesday, CIRA said.Milton was expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday evening, bringing devastating wind and rain and a “destructive storm surge” of 10 feet or more along Florida’s west-central coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. Credit: CSU/CIRA & NOAA via Storyful

Florida braces for Hurricane Milton

Florida's west coast braces for another major weather event as Hurricane Milton is set to make landfall on Wednesday, shortly after the region's encounter with Hurricane Helene. Axios senior climate reporter Andrew Freedman joins Catalysts to discuss the impending storm. Freedman describes Hurricane Milton as a potential Category 3 storm, projecting it to be "the strongest landfall direct hit" in over a century. He characterizes the situation as "dire," noting there's "no analog" for west coast residents to compare it to. Milton could bring storm surges of 10 to 15 feet and may peak at Category 5 intensity, potentially becoming the fifth strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Freedman adds that the storm is "expanding in size over time." The reporter estimates that a storm of this magnitude could cause approximately $5 billion in damage if it hits the Tampa Bay area as projected. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Angel Smith

Hurricane Milton Spotted From International Space Station

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick posted a spectacular timelapse video taken aboard the International Space Station that shows Hurricane Milton swirling through the Gulf of Mexico before its expected landfall in Florida on Wednesday, October 9.Dominick said he shot the video Wednesday morning, and remarked that the storm looked “bigger but less symmetric” than it did on Tuesday, when he posted a different timelapse video of it.Milton was expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday evening, bringing devastating wind and rain and a “destructive storm surge” of 10 feet or more along Florida’s west-central coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. Credit: Matthew Dominick via Storyful

'Extraordinary' Lightning Spotted as Milton Strengthens to Category 4 Hurricane

Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified over the Gulf of Mexico and became a Category 4 hurricane on Monday, October 7, forecasters said.Satellite imagery released by the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University shows lightning in the storm’s eyewall on Monday morning. “An extraordinary amount of lightning within Hurricane Milton,” the post said.Milton was forecasted to bring strong winds to the Yucatan Peninsula and heavy rainfall related to the storm would affect parts of Florida throughout Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Credit: CSU/CIRA & NOAA via Storyful

Evacuation Orders in Place for Treasure Island Ahead of Milton's Landfall

Police and government officials in Treasure Island, Florida, continued to urge residents to evacuate on Tuesday, October 8, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall.This video released by the Treasure Island Police Department shows officers patrolling neighborhoods, telling residents to evacuate.The city of Treasure Island said free evacuation shuttles would be available on Tuesday. Credit: Treasure Island Police Department via Storyful

Businesses Boarded Up in St Petersburg to Prepare for Milton

Streets in St Petersburg, Florida, were eerily quiet on Tuesday, October 8, as the city braced for Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall.This video showing boarded-up businesses on Central Avenue was captured by Anthony Close, who posted the video on Monday.City officials issued a safety advisory for businesses and residents located near several construction sites “due to the height and design of the tower cranes present at these sites, which are vulnerable to the forecasted high winds.” Credit: Anthony Close via Storyful

Hurricane Milton nears Florida coast, DOJ-Google requests: Catalysts

On today's installment of Catalysts, co-hosts Seana Smith and Madison Mills focus on the impact Hurricane Milton could have on forthcoming economic data and the damage expected for Florida residents, while tackling the latest market stories. Hurricane Milton takes center stage as it approaches the Florida coast, set to make landfall on Wednesday, October 9. The program interviews several expert that provide an array of insights, discussing the hurricane's growing intensity:— Raymond James Managing Director Savi Syth— Axios Senior Climate Reporter Andrew Freedman— Kinetic Analysis Corporation CEO Richard Murnane The program also covers several trending stocks, including WW International (WW) — formerly Weight Watchers — General Motors (GM) and Alphabet's Google (GOOG, GOOGL). This post was written by Angel Smith

Watch: Florida residents evacuate as Hurricane Milton heads for US

The National Hurricane Center has warned that Milton may regain strength and grow in size, posing “even more danger” as it is expected to make landfall in Florida by Wednesday evening, slamming into the densely populated Tampa Bay. K-12 schools across 43 of Florida’s 46 counties are set to close on Wednesday, while Orlando International Airport, will halt commercial passenger flights from 8am ET on Wednesday.

‘Radicalised by crime’: Teen hitmen take Marseille’s grisly drug violence to new level

Successive murders in France’s second-largest city have cast a grim light on the growing use of teenage contract killers by rival drug lords in Marseille, the subject of a new book by a trio of French journalists that explores an alarming development in the port city’s deadly drug wars. When police entered Matéo’s home in a leafy suburb of Marseille, hours after his car was spotted at the scene of a deadly shooting, the 18-year-old responded with adolescent bravado, reportedly telling officers t

Drone Captures 28-Foot Wave Inside Hurricane Milton

Maritime drone footage from October 9 captured the view from inside Hurricane Milton as it moved over waters in the Gulf of Mexico.According to the NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab, a Saildrone device reported waves up to 28.12 feet (8.57 meters) high and wind gusts as strong as 75.95 mph (122 km/h).Saildrone said they were helping NOAA better understand and predict devastating weather events like Hurricane Milton.Milton was expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday evening, bringing devastating wind and rain and a “destructive storm surge” of 10 feet or more along Florida’s west-central coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. Credit: NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab via Storyful