Veteran Weatherman Breaks Down Covering Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton is barreling toward the Gulf Coast of Florida after setting a record for one of the fastest strengthening periods in recorded history. Longtime south Florida meteorologist John Morales has seen plenty of destructive storms throughout his decades covering the weather, but Milton's projected effects even caught him by surprise. 

While reporting on the latest news on Oct. 7 for WTVJ, Morales became overwhelmed delivering some stats on the storm. "It’s just an incredible, incredible, incredible hurricane," he said of the category 5 storm, which has been reported to have winds of more than 180 miles per hour. 

"It has dropped 50 millibars in 10 hours," he continued before getting choked up and holding back tears. "I apologize," he said. "This is just horrific."

Morales joined the National Weather Service in 1984 and has covered countless catastrophic storms throughout his career including Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Wilma. His work has earned him three Emmy Awards over the years. 

In recent weeks, as the Southeast has been bearing the brunt of one destructive storm after another, Morales has sounded the alarm about hurricanes becoming stronger and more destructive as the climate crisis worsens, publishing an article saying Hurricane Helene "isn't an outlier" but "a harbinger of the future." 

If you're in Milton's path, stay up to date with the latest advisories for your area, heed the warnings of professionals, and evacuate if necessary.