Here’s what has made Hurricane Milton so fierce and unusual

AP Science Writer

With its mighty strength and its dangerous path, Hurricane Milton has powered into a very rare threat that is flirting with experts’ worst fears. Warm water fueled the amazingly rapid intensification that took Milton from a minimal hurricane to a massive Category 5 in less than 10 hours. At its most fierce, Milton nearly maxed out its potential intensity given the weather factors surrounding it. As one hurricane researcher put it, Milton had “everything that you would want if you’re looking for a storm to go absolutely berserk.” And Milton’s path toward Tampa, a populous metro that hasn’t been hit in a century, adds danger.