Rising Climate Change Intensifies Hurricanes - News18

Climate change, a human-induced phenomenon, has been causing drastic shifts in weather patterns across the globe. The escalating dangers posed by climate change are starkly evident in the increasingly devastating hurricanes we have seen recently. A recent study conducted by World Weather Attribution scientists revealed that climate change increased Hurricane Helene's rainfall and wind speed by around 10% and 11%, respectively. 
 
Hurricanes Milton and Helene were particularly destructive examples of these changes. Originating from a tropical low-pressure system in the western Caribbean Sea, Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified in the Gulf of Mexico to become one of the most intense hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic region. It reached peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane on October 7 with maximum sustained winds of 290 kmph before making landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, on October 9 as a Category 3 hurricane. 
 
Hurricane Helene hit Florida just ten days prior to Milton’s arrival, marking it as one of the deadliest storms since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. The southeastern part was left flooded due to unprecedented rainfalls brought about by Helene, which also led communities into shambles when Milton arrived shortly after. 
 
A hurricane is essentially an immense tropical storm characterized by high-speed winds exceeding speeds of at least 119 km/hour that form over warm sea waters primarily within northeastern Pacific Ocean or Atlantic Ocean regions where they can cause extensive damage through their powerful gusts, heavy rains, and storm surges. 
 
The formation process for hurricanes usually begins off Africa's coast, where westward winds collide with warm waters, creating temperature differences between air and sea that result in storms, according to reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cited by Metro News. 
 
The link between climate change and increasing severity of hurricanes lies mainly with rising global temperatures leading to warmer ocean surface temperatures, thereby strengthening wind intensity within these storms while simultaneously enhancing precipitation amounts during such events, according to Environmental Defense Fund research findings. 
 
For instance, if not for human-induced climate change, Hurricane Helene's destructive force would have been significantly less potent, as it resulted in more than 40 trillion gallons of rain. The risks posed by hurricanes are further exacerbated by rising sea levels, which amplify storm surges along coasts and cause greater inland flooding due to the surge water volume increase resulting from global warming-induced sea level rise. 
 
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research projections indicate that sea level is likely to rise between 29 cm and 82 cm by century end due to seawater warming up. Recent sequences of storms have all seen their intensity amplified owing to a heated planet, with current formation likelihood being twice that during preindustrial times, according to World Weather Attribution findings. 
 
Moreover, anthropogenic climate change has caused increased rainfall amounts in several recent events: Katrina (2005) saw a 4% increase; Irma (2017), Maria (2017), Florence (2018), and Dorian (2019) had increases ranging between 5 and 18%; Ian (2022) saw an unprecedented increase of around 18%, while Harvey in the same year experienced an astounding boost between 7 and 38%, according to Dr. Fredi Otto, lead scientist at World Weather Attribution. 
   
The evidence is clear: human-induced climate change exacerbates hurricane severity. It’s crucial that we heighten our awareness and preparedness efforts as these unpredictable shifts continue occurring within hurricane patterns globally due to ongoing climatic changes.