TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane Milton is one of the fastest hurricanes to ever go from a Category 1 to Category 5 designation in history. Even though the storm is set to weaken as it approaches Florida's coast, the state's emergency services chief warned that incoming storm surges are "not survivable" in some areas.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for 51 counties in Florida as forecasts show Milton tracking toward the Sunshine State's west coast.
TRACKING MILTON: Hurricane Milton maintains Cat 4 strength, still poses 'extremely serious' threat to Florida
Milton's landfall comes just months after the nation's previous Cat 5 storm, Hurricane Beryl, left its mark across Southeast Texas. Beryl claimed the lives of many people, some from high water, others from falling debris, and at least one from a fire that broke out during the storm. Several others died from conditions following the storm, including hyperthermia during power outages.
Milton's quick escalation isn't the only reason it stands out in hurricane history. It's one of just 42 hurricanes that have reached Cat 5 intensity over the past century, according to The Weather Channel. Milton and Beryl also made history by being one of the only times two Cat 5 hurricanes happened in the same season.
"Prior to Milton and Beryl, there had only been 40 such Cat 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin since 1924, according to NOAA's historical database," The Weather Channel said. "It's even rarer to have two Category 5 storms in a season: Just five other Atlantic Basin seasons have produced two or more Category 5 hurricanes since 1950."
Every Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean since 1924 is on the list below:
- Milton (2024)
- Beryl (2024)
- Lee (2023)
- Ian (2022)
- Lorenzo (2019)
- Dorian (2019)
- Michael (2018)
- Maria (2017)
- Irma (2017)
- Matthew (2016)
- Felix (2007)
- Dean (2007)
- Wilma (2005)
- Rita (2005)
- Katrina (2005)
- Emily (2005)
- Ivan (2004)
- Isabel (2003)
- Mitch (1998)
- Andrew (1992)
- Hugo (1989)
- Gilbert (1988)
- Allen (1980)
- David (1979)
- Anita (1977)
- Edith (1971)
- Camille (1969)
- Beulah (1967)
- Inez (1966)
- Hattie (1961)
- Esther (1961)
- Janet (1955)
- Carol (1953)
- "Great Atlantic" (1944)
- "New England" (1938)
- "Labor Day" (1935)
- "Tampico" (1933)
- "Cuba-Brownsville" (1933)
- "Cuba" (1932)
- "Bahamas" (1932)
- "San Felipe II Okeechobee" (1928)
- "Cuba" (1924)
