Yet another hurricane: wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change

The report finds that human-induced climate change increased the intensity and likelihood of heavy rainfall associated with Hurricane Milton in central Florida. Using the IRIS model, the analysis indicates that climate change increased the frequency of storms with Milton's wind speeds by approximately 40%, meaning the storm would have likely made landfall as a Category 2 rather than a Category 3 hurricane without global warming. Additionally, sea surface temperatures along Milton's track were 1°C warmer than in a world without climate change, making such temperatures 400 to 800 times more likely. The report also assesses Florida's adaptation measures, noting that while building codes are among the toughest in the US, the state's planning remains largely reactive and fails to adequately address social vulnerabilities in low-income and minority communities.

• Analysis of four observational datasets indicates that heavy 1-day rainfall events similar to those associated with Hurricane Milton are approximately 20-30% more intense and twice as likely in the current climate, which is 1.3°C warmer than it would have been without human-induced climate change.
• Using the IRIS synthetic storm model, the report finds that storms with wind speeds similar to Hurricane Milton have become about 40% more frequent due to 1.3°C of global warming. Consequently, maximum wind speeds for such storms are now approximately 5 m/s (about 10%) stronger, suggesting Milton would have been a Category 2 instead of a Category 3 hurricane without climate change.
• Sea surface temperatures along the track of Hurricane Milton were consistently more than 1°C warmer than they would have been without climate change, and these temperatures were made 400 to 800 times more likely, facilitating the storm's development and rapid intensification.
• Florida's building codes have been strengthened significantly since Hurricane Andrew (1992) and Hurricane Michael (2018), with the 2020 updates making the Florida Building Code the toughest among Gulf and Atlantic Coast states by 2021. As of December 31, 2023, residential buildings must withstand winds of 130-180 mph, and critical structures up to 195 mph.
• Despite structural improvements, Florida's climate adaptation is characterized as reactive rather than preventative. The state lacks sufficient integration of nature-based solutions, such as wetland restoration, and fails to adequately address the heightened risks faced by low-income and minority communities due to inadequate housing and resources.

APA

World Weather Attribution (2024). Yet another hurricane: wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/yet-another-hurricane-wetter-windier-and-more-destructive-because-of-climate-change/

Chicago

World Weather Attribution. Yet another hurricane: wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change. 2024. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/yet-another-hurricane-wetter-windier-and-more-destructive-because-of-climate-change/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Weather Attribution |title=Yet another hurricane: wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change |date=11 October 2024 |url=https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/yet-another-hurricane-wetter-windier-and-more-destructive-because-of-climate-change/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldweatherattribution2024yet, author = {{World Weather Attribution}}, title = {{Yet another hurricane: wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change}}, institution = {World Weather Attribution}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/yet-another-hurricane-wetter-windier-and-more-destructive-because-of-climate-change/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }