A new scientific study published in the journal Environmental Research: Climate found that human-caused climate change has made Atlantic hurricanes about 18 miles per hour stronger in the last six years. The study, conducted by Climate Central, revealed that warmer oceans due to climate change have caused 40 storms to jump an entire hurricane category, resulting in significantly more damage. For three storms, including this month’s Rafael, the wind speed increased by two storm categories, highlighting the impact of climate change on storm intensity.
Lead study author Daniel Gilford emphasized that the increased power from these hurricanes is causing more catastrophic damage, especially in stronger storms that reach Category Five on the Saffir-Simpson scale of storm intensity. The study looked at 2019 to 2023 data and found that all named storms this year had a bump up in intensity due to climate change.
According to the study, the warmer waters in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico are fueling the hurricanes, with the potential energy going into storms increasing as much as 4 degrees Fahrenheit due to climate change. The researchers used computer simulations to track the impact of human-caused warming on ocean temperatures. MIT hurricane expert Kerry Emanuel, who was not part of the study, confirmed that the findings align with his predictions made 37 years ago.
The study serves as a stark reminder of the link between human activities and the increasing intensity of hurricanes, highlighting the urgent need for climate action. With the increasing power of these storms, communities in hurricane-prone areas need to be prepared for more frequent and destructive weather events.
Source
Photo credit apnews.com
