\n\tWhile covering the growing intensity of Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico this Monday, NBC6<\/em> hurricane specialist John Morales from Miami found it hard to maintain his composure. As he reported the drastic decrease in barometric pressure, his voice wavered.\n<\/p>\n \n\t“The pressure has plummeted by 50 millibars in just 10 hours,” Morales explained, his emotion palpable. “I’m sorry, this is truly devastating.”\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe hurricane is predicted to hit Florida’s west coast by Wednesday, at a time when the state is still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.\n<\/p>\n \n\tAs Morales reported, the hurricane’s winds escalated to 160 miles per hour. Simultaneously, climate scientists highlighted the unusually high temperatures of the waters in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.\n<\/p>\n \n\t“The ocean temperatures are alarmingly high, hitting record levels as you might guess,” Morales stated. “And the cause is clear. I don’t need to spell it out. The effects of global warming and climate change are driving these conditions and posing an increasing threat.”\n<\/p>\n \n\tMorales took to social media later that day, sharing the video clip and expressing his hesitation about whether to post such a heartfelt moment where he discussed the potential severe impacts on Florida and parts of Mexico.\n<\/p>\n \n\t“Truthfully, it should alarm you too, and it should spur you to demand immediate action on climate change,” Morales asserted.\n<\/p>\n \n\tJust last week, Morales penned an article in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists<\/em> about Hurricane Helene, which claimed over 230 lives in six states, describing it as “a sign of what’s to come.”\n<\/p>\n \n\t“For years, I felt like I had everything under control. Not the weather itself, of course, but the ability to manage the communication of it, ensuring that my audience was prepared and could safely navigate any storm,” Morales wrote. “Now, due to a multitude of escalating climate-related factors, the warming world has forced a shift in my approach from calm concern to urgent alarm. My perspective on storms has changed, and so has my way of communicating about them.”\n<\/p>\n \n\t“We can no longer escape the reality,” he continued. “Weather events, including hurricanes, are growing more severe. Regardless of the challenges, I am compelled to convey the increasing dangers posed by the climate crisis, come what may\u2014pun definitely intended.”\n<\/p>\n \n\tFormer U.S. Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.), currently a Senate candidate, praised Morales for his candid assessment of the dire situation facing both the state and the nation.\n<\/p>\n \n\t“I’ve never seen John Morales become emotional over a storm like this before. He knows these systems better than most, and his reaction should serve as a wake-up call for all of us to prepare now,” said Mucarsel-Powell. “We MUST find the courage to confront climate change deniers and take proactive measures before it’s too late.”<\/p>\n\n\n