Is there a link between hurricanes and climate change?
hace 8 year
After the disasters caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and other regions, Irma appeared, the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. This hurricane continues to wreak havoc in the Caribbean. The problem does not end there: two new threats have emerged: Jose and Katia.
Irma remains the greatest concern, with winds in excess of 300 kilometers per hour. It has passed Puerto Rico and is now moving on a northwesterly path north of the Dominican Republic through unusually warm waters.
Climate change did not cause Irma to form, but it made it even stronger, said scientists from Germany and the United Kingdom. Irma hit the first string of Caribbean islands with winds of 295 kilometers per hour, on its way to the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The phenomenon reached Antigua and Barbuda first, before moving on to St. Martin and St. Barthelemy. Its trajectory indicates that it could reach Florida, where it would destroy as much property as Katrina in 2005.
What is the relationship between hurricanes and climate change?
- It strengthens them. Climate change is making hurricanes stronger. As sea temperatures rise, hurricanes become more violent and powerful, causing damage and loss of life.
- Extreme rainfall. Climate change is linked to extreme rainfall (and therefore flooding). As the world gets warmer, more water from the oceans evaporates into the air. Hurricanes take advantage of this moisture-enriched atmosphere and are able to produce heavier rainfall, and this can result in more flooding as the hurricane approaches land.
- Stronger storms. Sea level rise caused by climate change increases storm surge caused by hurricanes. With elevated sea levels, storm surges are able to move further inland and can lead to more widespread damage.
"Unfortunately the science is very clear: hurricanes get their destructive energy from ocean heat, and water temperatures in the region are very high.”, said Anders Levermann, climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
Source: Climate Reality and ConexiónCOP
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