Hurricane Milton intensified quickly as it passed over exceptionally warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, where sea surface temperatures are around 1-2C above average.
Warmer waters mean that hurricanes can pick up more energy, potentially leading to higher wind speeds.
A warmer atmosphere can also hold more moisture – up to about 7% for every 1C of temperature rise. This means that rainfall from hurricanes can be more intense.
And global sea-levels have been rising in recent decades, largely thanks to global warming.
This makes it more likely that a given storm surge will lead to coastal flooding.
In Florida, average sea-levels have risen by more than 7in (18cm) since 1970, according to US government data.
A full scientific analysis will be needed to quantify the exact role of climate change in Hurricane Milton.
But its rapid intensification fits with expectations of how these storms are changing in a warming world.
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