The tornado outbreak caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida resulted in significant death and damage. Superstorms spawned by the hurricane led to the issuance of numerous tornado warnings and reports. The outbreak was one of the worst tornado outbreaks observed in Florida during a cyclone, with one of the strongest tornadoes in South Florida’s history hitting Palm Beach Gardens. Research suggests that tropical cyclones could produce more tornadoes in a warmer world. This year, an abnormally high number of strong tornadoes linked to hurricanes have been observed in the U.S., with several rated EF-3 or stronger. Experts believe that the unstable conditions caused by climate change played a role in the increased tornado activity observed during Hurricane Milton. The outer storm band of the hurricane, combined with warm conditions and wind shear, created the perfect conditions for tornado formation. The concentrated outbreak of tornadoes during Milton was unprecedented, due to the hurricane’s specific characteristics and path. More research is needed to understand how climate change influences tornadoes produced by hurricanes. However, the influence of climate change on extreme rain and wind speeds during hurricanes is becoming more evident. Studies have shown that climate change can make one-day rainfall events more intense and increase wind speeds in hurricanes, ultimately worsening the impact of such extreme weather events.
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