When and where Hurricane Milton's wind speeds are the highest

Hurricane Milton showed explosive speed as its winds grew by 130 mph in just 36 hours this week in the Gulf of Mexico. In the process, the hurricane astonished meteorologists as it powered up in the Gulf's warm waters, becoming one of the gulf's most intense storms in modern history.

After a couple of brief periods at peak winds, Milton weakened slightly as it approached landfall. At the same time, its wind field expanded to make it a larger storm. Its diameter grew by more than 100 miles in the 24 hours between Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

Milton gained wind speed at an explosive rate

Milton quickly rose from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane in about 22 hours, according to data from the National Hurricane Center .

Where Hurricane Milton's winds blew the strongest

Hurricane Milton became a Category 5 hurricane around noon EDT Monday before reaching its top speed of 180 mph at 5 p.m. Monday near the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Milton slowed to a Category 4 as it shifted northeast towards Florida. The National Hurricane Center predicts it will make landfall Wednesday night near Tampa Bay.

Warm gulf waters fueled Milton's rapid intensification

According to NASA, sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are well above average for this time of year. The warm waters and low vertical wind shear helped fuel the storm’s quick growth. Rapid intensification occurs when a tropical cyclone’s maximum sustained wind speeds increase at least 35 miles per hour over a 24-hour period.

Milton's wind speed increased at triple that rate, according to NASA. Winds increased from 80 mph to 175 mph between 2 p.m. Sunday and 2 p.m. on Monday.

According to NASA, surface waters above 82 degrees Fahrenheit are generally required to sustain and intensify hurricanes.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When and where Hurricane Milton's wind speeds are the highest