Yes, global warming is why Hurricane Milton is so bad

Hurricane Milton made landfall last night on Florida's west coast, just south of Tampa. It's the worst storm to hit the area in over a century.

The latest: Millions are without power this morning and search and rescue efforts are just beginning with several people already reported dead.

• Authorities are just starting to survey the damage, but 100 mph wind tore the roof off St. Petersburg’s baseball stadium, Tropicana field.
  

• The storm also caused a tornado outbreak: at least 116 tornado warnings were issued and the governor said there were 19 confirmed tornadoes in the state.

How we got here: Both Milton and Helene were unusually super-charged storms, and scientists agree: the reason is human-caused climate change.

• For years, unchecked carbon emissions have been trapping more and more heat inside the earth’s atmosphere.

• That heat is being absorbed by the upper layer of the world’s oceans—which has been at or near record-high temperatures.

• Warm water is to hurricanes what gasoline is to fire: it makes the storm bigger and more intense (because it evaporates much more quickly).

• Rising sea levels from melting ice caps compound the danger. Already elevated water levels plus Milton's massive storm surge spell catastrophe.

One study found human-caused climate change made a storm like Milton 800 times more likely to occur.

The Big Picture: As long as global warming continues unchecked, we can expect more Helenes and Miltons—they are just the beginning.

• In fact, climate experts say we’re in a “critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis,” with Earth’s ‘vital signs’ indicating the future of humanity is in the balance.

Without systemic change, the price paid in lives and livelihoods will only grow.

👀 Under the Radar

Here are some stories the algorithms might be keeping out of your feed.

• Several Florida jails and prisons refused to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton, despite being in evacuation areas.

• Airlines and hotels were caught price gauging as millions tried to evacuate the storm zone yesterday.

• A Florida man went viral for saying how he would ride out Milton.

• Oligarch ElonMusk’s free internet offer to storm survivors has some pretty big asterisks next to it.

• Take a guess where Donald Trump’s “God Bless the USA” Bibles were printed. Spoiler alert: not the USA.

• Surprise, surprise: Despite his public promises, Trump limited the FBI probe into sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.

• New polling reveals which party will likely win the Senate.

• The Supreme Court may let stand a Biden-backed gun rule.

• If you needed more proof police in the U.S. are overfunded: a police department just premiered a crazy (and expensive) new police vehicle.

Expect costs to go up if Trump is elected

New studies show that Trump's economic proposals will significantly increase costs for the working class, while at the same time exploding the national debt.

The details: Trump has said he wants to institute a 20% tariff across the board for all foreign goods, a 60% tariff on all goods from China, while extending the massive 2017 tax cuts that most benefited rich people.

• A new nonpartisan study estimates that Trump’s plan could add up to $15 trillion to the debt over a decade - nearly double Vice President Harris's proposals.

• For that much, we could almost implement Medicare for all.

• Another study found that Trump’s plan would cost middle class workers thousands of dollars a year.

That study indicates Trump's proposal would hike taxes for all but the wealthiest 5% of Americans, effectively funneling money from the working class to the ultra-rich.

The Big Picture: Trump's economic proposals lay bare his clear prioritization of the wealthy elite over the working class.

• By increasing both the national debt and taxes on lower-income groups, Trump’s plans will increase inequality while exploding the national debt.

✊ Get Involved

Here are some ways to get involved around this week’s major stories.

• Help the victims of Hurricane Milton: Here’s a list of places you can donate to help the less fortunate rebuild after this massive storm, from the American Red Cross to the Humane Society.
  

• Pick up that phone: The election is just 25 days away. Join a virtual phone bank to call voters in swing states to get them to the polls.
  

• Let you dollars do the fighting: Make a donation to support Kamala against her fascist opponent.
  

Don’t just read the news, take action and shape it!