Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning as a powerful category three storm, leaving thousands of people without power across Florida's west coast.
As Floridians begin to assess the damage left behind, many wonder why Idalia strengthened so quickly and whether this storm indicates what's to come during this hurricane season.
Why Did Hurricane Idalia Rapidly Intensify?
Hurricane Idalia quickly intensified from a category one to a category four storm and back down to a category three seemingly overnight for several reasons. Meteorologists point to the extremely heated waters of the Gulf of Mexico, measuring an average of 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
Unfortunately, this rapid intensification trend with future storms will continue as the world's oceans heat up with little to no relief. Over the next several months, severe marine heatwaves will continue throughout the North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Basin.