Researchers note that the increase in ocean temperatures has led to the strengthening of the winds of at least 11 hurricanes this year.
Climate change is indeed amplifying the destructive power of storms. The record rise in ocean temperatures has increased the maximum wind speeds of all Atlantic hurricanes in 2024, according to a study by the American research institute Climate Central, published on Wednesday.
The study reveals that the 11 hurricanes of the year intensified by 14 to 45 kilometers per hour. « CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases have influenced the temperatures of sea surfaces worldwide, » said the study’s author, Daniel Gilford, during a press briefing.
https://x.com/ClimateCentral/status/1859192464659120327
In the Gulf of Mexico, these emissions have caused sea surface temperatures to rise by about 1.4°C compared to what they would have been in a world without climate change. This increase fuels stronger hurricane winds.
84% of hurricanes intensified
Phenomena like Debby and Oscar quickly transitioned from tropical storms to full-blown hurricanes. Hurricanes like Milton and Beryl gained one category on the Saffir-Simpson scale, moving from category 4 to 5, due to climate change. Another hurricane, Hélène, increased from category 3 to 4.
And this reclassification is no small matter: each increase in category corresponds to roughly a fourfold increase in destructive potential. Particularly devastating, Hélène caused over 200 fatalities, making it the second deadliest hurricane to strike the American continent in more than half a century, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
According to another study by Climate Central, between 2019 and 2023, 84% of hurricanes were significantly strengthened by ocean warming caused by human activity. Although both of their studies focused on the Atlantic Basin, the researchers claim that their methods can be applied to tropical cyclones worldwide.
And climatologists warn: the effects are likely to worsen as temperatures rise beyond 1.5°C.
Source: Le Parisien
