Why is the Hurricane headed to Florida called Milton?

Hurricane Milton is shattering records and has become one of the most powerful storms to form in the Gulf of Mexico in this century. Florida’s residents are still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in the state less than two weeks ago.

Tampa Bay is expected to be the epicenter of this storm, with the city expecting its first direct hit in over a century.

The name of the storm, Milton, has jumped into the popular vernacular in just a few short days as the storm went from a tropical depression to a Category 5 storm. For those wondering, no meaning should be taken from the name itself. It does not indicate the storm’s strength, as the name was selected far before it developed.

Does a storm’s name have anything to do with its strength?

For those wondering, no meaning should be taken from the name itself. It does not indicate the storm’s strength, as the name was selected far before it developed.

Each year, a list of names, one for each alphabet letter from A to W, is published. What is important about the name Milton is that it starts with M, meaning it is the 13th tropical storm to form in the Atlantic.

Not all these storms become hurricanes, but they reach a certain level of severity. The names are given so that the storm can be referred to as officials preparing residents for the impending natural disaster. Even in cases where the hurricane will not make landfall, like Hurricanes Kirk and Leslie are given names since they can still create threats for maritime travel and impact tides along coastal areas.

Before the naming system was standardized in the twentieth century, storms were identified through a number, which was often difficult to track or remember.

How the 2024 season compares to the forecast

Earlier this year, just as the 2024 season was getting underway, NOAA forecasted that the Atlantic would experience an “above-average” season. The agency expects to see between 17 and 25 named storms, and currently, 13 storms have materialized. Of the storms that would take shape, NOAA predicted that anywhere between 8 and 13 would become hurricanes. Already, 9 hurricanes have been have formed in the area. The last figure NOAA forecasts is how many hurricanes will become major hurricanes, meaning they reach a category higher than 3 at some point. NOAA expects 4 to 7 major hurricanes to form, and as of early October, four have reached a category above 3:

The hurricane season will come to an official close on November 30.