Florida Reels From Twin Storms and Flood of Misinformation

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As Florida and a wide swath of the US Southeast reel from back-to-back hurricanes, the damage wrought by such global warming-fueled storms demonstrates how unpredictable and catastrophic they can be. In a dangerous twist, Hurricane Milton’s wind shear and thunderstorms before it made landfall from the west spawned a rash of deadly tornadoes on the far side of the state. That’s in contrast to Hurricane Helene, which drenched parts of the southeastern US with heavy rain for days, both before and after landfall, triggering floods and killing more than 230 people. The full scope of Milton’s destruction won’t be known for days or perhaps weeks, but the storm left millions without power, destroyed scores of homes, buildings and crops and ripped the roof off the Tamp Bay Rays stadium. At least 10 people died, and officials warn that number could rise as search-and-rescue efforts continue. Losses from Milton may reach $60 billion to $75 billion, said Chuck Watson, a disaster modeler with Enki Research. AccuWeather put the cost much higher, at $160 billion to $180 billion. Around the world, natural catastrophes are becoming more expensive, more common and more powerful as climate change supercharges storms and wildfires.