Daniel Swain for The Hill — Why Hurricane Milton became so intense so fast — and why more storms may do the same

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the rapid intensification of hurricanes for The Hill, sharing how warming oceans are contributing to stronger storms like Hurricane Milton. Swain explains that hurricanes are now able to gather energy from warm waters much faster, resulting in storms like Milton reaching Category 5 status “almost literally overnight.” He highlights the trend of faster storm intensification and links it to rising ocean temperatures caused by human-induced climate change. Swain concludes by noting that this trend could continue if global warming is not addressed.