NBC meteorologist John Morales was visibly emotional while informing viewers on Hurricane Milton, which strengthened from Category 1 to Category 5 within 18 hours on Tuesday afternoon.
Milton is predicted to be one of the most destructive hurricanes to batter the west coast of Florida.
“It’s just an incredible, incredible, incredible hurricane," Morales said during the broadcast, struggling to fight back tears while describing how dramatically Milton intensified.
Floridians are still recovering from the ravages of Hurricane Helene, which killed over 230 people less than two weeks ago.
“I apologize. This is just...horrific," Morales added.
You can watch a clip of the report below.
The National Weather Service (NWS) claimed the increase in Milton's maximum sustained winds, a phenomenon known as “rapid intensification," is due to climate change, which Morales noted during his reporting.
The meteorologist remarked:
“It is just gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, where you can imagine the seas are just so incredibly, incredibly hot."
“Record hot, as you might imagine. You know what’s driving that. I don’t need to tell you—global warming, climate change leading to this.”
Viewers commended Morales for his unfiltered reporting on a grave situation.
Morales later shared a video of his post, but not without hesitation.
"I debated whether to share this. I did apologize on the air," he said and realized it was a crucial opportunity for raising awareness about our global environment.
He added:
"But I invite you to read my introspection on @BulletinAtomic of how extreme weather driven by global warming has changed me. Frankly, YOU should be shaken too, and demand #ClimateActionNow."
His frankness and empathy continued to be appreciated by social media users, who thought an apology was not necessary regarding the circumstances.
On Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) described the serious threat facing Floridians.
The agency said in a forecast discussion:
"A large area of destructive storm surge will occur along parts of the west coast of Florida on Wednesday."
“This is an extremely life-threatening situation, and residents in those areas should follow advice given by local officials and evacuate immediately if told to do so.”
Bryan Bennett, a Tampa-area meteorologist, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Milton could be Florida's Katrina, a reference to the devastating tropical cyclone that ravaged New Orleans in 2005.
@ElizLanders/X