Hurricane Milton is about to become the strongest storm ever – NBC Chicago

Hurricane Milton quickly strengthened into a Category 5 storm Monday, approaching historic territory as one of the most powerful storms on record.

According to the National Hurricane Center's latest estimates, Milton's maximum sustained wind speed is nearly 180 miles per hour, making it a “potentially catastrophic” Category 5 hurricane.

The air pressure within the storm has dropped to 897 millibars, making it one of the most powerful hurricanes of all time due to both pressure and wind.

This is how the hurricane stacks up.

How strong can an Atlantic hurricane be?

According to a 1998 study by MIT climatologist Kerry Emanuel, with a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean, Milton is approaching the upper limit of what Earth's atmosphere can produce.

Maximum wind speeds for a hurricane are thought to be around 180 mph (300 km/h), although the upper limit is not “absolute,” the study said. Experts have argued in recent studies that climate change could cause hurricanes to become even more intense, and some have even advocated adding a “Category 6” to the Saffir-Simpson scale as a result.

Only one hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean achieved wind speeds of 190 miles per hour during its formation.

The Saffir-Simpson scale is used to measure the speed of hurricanes. Why does it stop at Category 5?

How do Hurricane Milton's winds compare to all time?

Milton is one of only a few hurricanes to ever reach winds of 180 mph, but it is not the most intense storm ever recorded in the Gulf.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Allen is considered the strongest wind ever recorded near a storm center. It reached an astonishing 190 miles per hour as it moved across the Yucatan Channel and entered the Gulf of Mexico.

Allen caused impacts in numerous locations before making final landfall near the United States-Mexico border. The storm claimed 269 lives across the Caribbean.

What about the air pressure?

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Wilma holds the record for the lowest barometric pressure of any Atlantic hurricane, falling to 882 millibars.

Although Wilma weakened before making landfall in Florida, it still hit the state as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph. According to official figures, the storm ultimately claimed 52 lives.

How will Milton develop?

According to the NHC, “fluctuations in intensity” are expected, but it will be an “extremely dangerous hurricane” upon landfall.

While Milton is expected to weaken before reaching Florida, hurricane-force winds are expected to extend up to 30 miles from the center of the hurricane, and tropical-storm-force winds, defined as sustained winds of up to 70 are miles per hour, will be present up to 80 miles from the center of the storm.

The hurricane could cause a storm surge of up to 15 feet along parts of Florida's coast, including Tampa Bay. The worst storm surges are expected south of landfall, with flood-related flooding expected in these areas.

In addition to the storm surge and wind, heavy rain is expected, with 5 to 10 inches of rain expected to fall in Central Florida. Local rainfall of up to 15 inches could result in severe to severe flooding in some locations.

Florida is expected to experience hurricane conditions as early as Wednesday afternoon, with tropical storm-force winds possible through Wednesday morning. Landfall is expected to occur on Wednesday evening.