The terror and tragedy that follows a tropical storm is unfortunately inevitable. Recently tropical storms have gone beyond the norm and have become more disastrous due to climate change. A variety of factors like rising sea levels and warmer oceans are just a few ingredients that make tropical storms worse. People need to understand that climate change does not cause severe storms, but it is a big contributor in the level of severity of the storm. It is important to know that there is a clear connection between climate change and hurricanes and it is especially important for people to know what they can do to reduce climate change problems, so that there can be a possibility to decrease the severity of these storms. Tropical storms frequently form in warm waters and recently our oceans have definitely been getting warmer due to the warming of the planet. According to an article in Newsmax, Larry Bell states that strong storms frequently form in warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the tropical Atlantic Ocean as far east as the Cape Verde Islands. They often strengthen over the Gulf Stream off the coast of the eastern U.S. whenever temperatures exceed 79.7 degrees F. Currently the surface water temperature in the Gulf is about 4 degrees above the average. This increase might not be much, but it does have an influence on hurricanes such as Harvey and Irma. As mention before, climate change is not the main cause of these storms; “...it just makes
Ocean currents effect hurricanes far more than hurricanes effect ocean currents. Surface ocean currents carry the warm waters to the hurricane breeding areas and fuel the storms with warm currents along their paths. Cold water currents also play a major role in robbing the storms of one of their sources of fuel when hurricanes pass over the colder currents, like the ones along the eastern U.S. border. Hurricanes with their strong winds cause huge waves, mix warm surface waters and their currents, with the deeper cooler water. Not much is known about what happens to that warmer water once it has been sunk into the depths of the ocean but some suggest that the heat is transported towards the poles via ocean currents (Bettex, n.d.). The Gulf of Mexico’s loop current creates large warm water eddies in the gulf and is likely intensifying hurricanes that pass over them. These eddies are blamed for fueling some of the worst storms ever, like Katrina and Rita ("Ocean Motion and Surface Events", n.d.).
Also to make Americans more aware in climate change political issues. Scott Martelle targets Trump’s main administrative climate-change skeptics, Pruitt. Scott Martelle suggests if Pruitt reduces fossil-fuel emissions, it would benefit helping global warming. Which by the help with 350 Madison, could pressure Pruitt to discuss the issue publicly. Other than discussing how to help tame the issue. Scott Martelle reports how global warming is affecting with our current hurricanes. From experts with profound credibility, insists global warming makes storms stronger, quicker and bigger. Also affecting how warm the ocean and atmosphere is. Warmer ocean water supports more powerful hurricanes, while warmer atmospheres, holds more evaporated water, forcing heavier
There is speculation that climate change may have also have contributed to the storms intensity. Global warming may have made Sandy wetter and stronger. Hurricanes and tropical storms are fueled by warm water evaporating into the air. Records indicate that ocean surface temperatures are up 0.9 degrees
Greshko explains that this hurricane season has been so active because atmospheric conditions and surface seas temperatures have been warmer than normal. There have been other major hurricanes to make landfall on the continental US over the years but this season has still been unusual with two category 4 storms hitting land in a small space of time. It seems as though the longer it goes, the more severe it gets. Finally, Greshko concludes this article by talking about the cause of this catastrophic hurricane season being climate change. The climate plays a big role in weather and the warmer conditions will make for much worse tropical storms in the Atlantic. In the future individual will drop more precipitation in the future, since warmer air can hold more water vapor. The warmer temperatures are a result of human activity an if the climate continues to warm up then its predicted that storm surges will become much worse.
Hurricanes emerge from the tropics of the Atlantic Ocean close to the earth’s equator because it is attracted to warm water with a temperature of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit (Today’s Science, October 2004). As the temperature increases, it changes the liquid water into water vapor that forms clouds of warm, moist air causing it rise.
Climate change is also having an effect on the rain, snow, and the hurricanes. The strength of hurricanes are getting more and more powerful each year. According to a study done by, "Signs of Climate Change", in the 1950 hurricanes were between and category 2-3
Hurricane Sandy was one of the most catastrophic hurricanes of 2012. I do think that climate change made the hurricane more intense because of the increase in water vapor due to warm temperature. Warmer atmosphere and oceans increased the effects of hurricane Sandy, because of the high level of sea. It changes the frequency and strength of the hurricane.
Did Hurricane Irma catch you by surprise? Does Hurricane Maria worry you? Fear not, for this essay will surely prepare you for any hurricane, whether or not it is a category five or not.
Scientists are not sure that climate change directly affects the extremity of weather, but it is clear it helps the impacts. Andrew Freedman is a senior science writer for Climate Central, an independent research organization. He studies climate change. Hurricane Sandy clashed with the east coast in 2012. Three factors that could have effected it: sea level rise, non regular warm sea surface temperatures, and unusual weather pattern. Natural causes still predominately are main forces for situations like these. Global warming has increased the severity. Hurricane Sandy starts questions about Climate change impacting storms and weather patterns, and how vulnerable the east coast is. This is credible because it was written by an independent research
Devastating natural disasters happen all the time take Hurricane, Katrina for example. An increase in climate change causes the seas to also adjust in temperature and could lead to more tropical storms. “The oceans have absorbed much of the increased heat, with the top 700 meters of ocean showing warming of .302F since 1969” (Shaftel 8). Extreme climate change has been rapidly changing our environment and causes an increase of severe weather. “Most of the Earth warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years” (Shaftel 7). “Global sea level rose about 17 cm in the last century. The rate in the last decade is nearly double that of the last century” (Shaftel 6). “Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic kilometers of ice
For centuries, natural disasters have plagued defenseless civilizations, resulting in millions of casualties and costly damages. Among these devastations, hurricanes have become notable for their catastrophic and costly effects, although only surfacing from early June to later November each year in the Northern Hemisphere. Hurricanes have become notorious for their raging winds and endless rains, which destroy homes, flood towns, and leave societies without powers for days, even weeks. While Hurricane Katrina (2005) remains the most disastrous storm to strike the United States both in physical and economical damage, it was not until a few years later when America found itself once more struggling to salvage what was left of a hurricane’s remains. On October
Did you know that Hurricanes have killed approximately 1.9 million people worldwide over the past 200 years. (Karen lenhardt said in her 2017 article on facts about hurricanes). We are seeing more and more of these occur, this year we have already encountered 13 named storms, 7 of them being hurricanes. Only four other seasons since 1995 have had that many by Sept. 18. Just two more by the end of the year would put 2017 in the top 15 since 1851. Maggie Astor stated in her New York Times news report about the 2017 Hurricane season . We must take notice and learn about the hurricane process so that we are able to understand the stages that hurricanes go through to get to be so fierce and devastating to get the strength to kill that many people.
Hurricanes are one of nature’s most natural occurrences and intense phenomenal storms. Yet, as phenomenal as they are, they are still one of the deadliest and disastrous natural occurrences that continue to plague costal residents with fears of their homes being destroyed, their towns wiped out, and loved ones either disappearing or dying.
“Natural disasters have killed more than 600,000 people and left behind trillions of dollars in damages in the last two decades, the United Nations said Monday.” (Chan) Extreme weather has caused millions of casualties and extreme damages over the years, but lately there has been an increase in severe weather events. This is causing problems in the US, with the amount of tornadoes rising in tornado alley “Tennessee experienced a 67 percent increase in tornado activity in 1983-2013 compared to the 1954-1983 time period. Oklahoma experienced a nearly 35 percent decrease in tornadoes in 1983-2013 compared to 1954-1983.”
Tropical hurricanes need to have surface water temperatures to be 26°C or more for them to form. As our oceans get hotter hurricanes are able to form farther out in the sea