The EPIC probe aboard NASA’s DSCOVR satellite recorded three hurricanes—Milton, Kirk, and Leslie—moving simultaneously over the North Atlantic for the first time since observations began in 1851.

Fueled by record-warming Gulf of Mexico waters, Milton quickly escalated from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane. Meanwhile, Kirk weakened off western France and Leslie returned off the Cape Verde Islands. The hurricane season was busier than normal, which significantly affected the behavior and intensity of hurricanes.

EPIC tornado observations overview

The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard NASA’s DSCOVR (Deep Space Climate Observatory) satellite observed the unusually active Atlantic basin from Lagrangian Stable Point 1, located one million miles above Earth.

At the beginning of October, three hurricanes simultaneously ravaged the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean. This image shows three storms, Milton, Kirk, and Leslie, at around 12 noon Central Time (5:00 PM ET) on October 6, 2024. The image was taken about an hour before Milton developed into a hurricane as it developed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Historical context and rapid strengthening of Hurricane Milton

This is the first known hurricane season to see three hurricanes in the basin since September, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach. Klotzbach cites the National Hurricane Center (NHC) database dating back to 1851, but also notes that “…there are likely underpredictions and potentially missed hurricanes before the satellite era (1966 and later).”

Fueled by unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Milton strengthened, “exploding” from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours on October 6-7. The hurricane developed “with slight shear and very warm waters in its path,” according to the NHC. There were 182 mph winds in Milton on the afternoon of October 7, and the NHC predicted that the wind would reach the west coast of the Florida peninsula on the evening of October 9.

Effect of record warm waters on hurricane intensity

Temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico — both at the surface and below the surface — are record high, University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy noted in the Oct. 6 Atlantic Tropical Activity Update. “The high heat content of the ocean provides the hurricane with a constant source of fuel, making it much more difficult for cold water to rise from below that could weaken the storm,” McNoldy said in the updated report. he wrote. “This will help Milton get stronger quickly and reach a higher intensity.”

In the northeast, Kirk weakened from a Category 2 hurricane to a Category 1 hurricane around the time this photo was taken. Kirk began developing in the eastern tropical Atlantic in late September and reached peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on October 4. Following the development, the hurricane shifted to the northeast and became an extratropical cyclone. NHC forecasts indicate that the storm could reach the coast of western France on October 9.

Leslie, by the way, was in a Category 1 storm when this photo was taken. Leslie originated a few hundred miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands in West Africa and strengthened into a hurricane on October 4. The storm is expected to become a tropical storm before making landfall by October 8.

The 2024 hurricane season, which begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, has been unusually busy, according to Klotzbach. As of October 6, nine hurricanes had developed in the Atlantic, while the 1991-2020 average was 5.5 hurricanes.