Studies have shown that the number of hurricanes has been on the rise in recent decades, which could mean bad news for the coastal regions. As a result of this study, there is a great need for better preparations for such weather events. Studying how Hurricanes have evolved over the years is hard.
Weather observations and climate change predictions are the same things though. Studying them both is different though. While studying global warming, scientists know that the Earth’s average surface temperature has been steadily increasing over the last century. They also say that human activities are one of the main contributors to this increase. The study also finds that hurricanes are becoming stronger at a faster rate, which means the effects of climate change are becoming worse for the parts of the world that are most vulnerable to hurricanes.
It might be hard to understand why hurricanes are getting stronger when we consider the Earth’s history. After all, isn’t it the rain that making hurricanes stronger? Well, the answer might surprise you. When it comes to understanding climate change and hurricanes specifically, there is a very close correlation between rainfall and the severity of tropical storms. That means more rain means stronger storms.
Another reason why researchers think the numbers of hurricanes are rising could be linked to the strengthening of the El Nino phenomenon over the last half a decade. With that said, a recent study found that the number of tropical storms has actually dropped since El Nino reached its peak. That finding is alarming since it means that El Nino was simply too good for most of North America and parts of Asia and Australia. It is now fading away. This would suggest that global warming may not be the main driver of a rise in hurricanes or that natural cycles alone account for the changes we see in hurricanes.
So how can global warming be tied into all of this? If increased precipitation is tied to El Nino, then it only makes sense that as our planet gets warmer, there will also be an increase in the chances of hurricanes or severe tropical storms. Global warming is thought to be one of the reasons that can lead to the strengthening of tornadoes, droughts, and hurricanes. Additionally, recent research has found that a rise in atmospheric humidity could also lead to a rise in the intensity of hurricanes, which could lead to even more destruction in the years to come.
Hurricanes typically spawn from warm ocean surface temperatures that are combined with below-normal thunderstorms. As the thunderstorms develop, the wind speeds reach record levels, often reaching upwards into the upper levels of the atmosphere. As the wind speeds increase, the air becomes saturated with warm water vapor, increasing the humanness of the storm. As the storms intensify, more thunderstorms are created, with stronger winds pushing the waters even higher into the atmosphere. This wet warm air meets warm air further up in the atmosphere, causing even heavier rainfall.
Now consider the question of why hurricanes are getting stronger. The answer is quite obvious, global warming. As the earth’s temperatures continue to rise, the chances of hurricanes are expected to become stronger, as well as the likelihood of heavy rainfall during the actual storm. Perhaps most importantly, though, is the question of why our planet is steadily heating up. Perhaps we need to seriously consider the evidence surrounding this issue before we spend all of our precious resources on alternative energy solutions.
It’s easy to look at Mother Nature and Hurricane Season and point the finger of blame at humans when truthfully, there are many possible causes of the increased hurricane strength we see recently. Still, there are some scientists who say that the answer may lie in the possibility of a large-scale release of carbon dioxide due to global warming. Whatever the case, it’s important to know that increasing atmospheric pressure due to the increase in Earth’s temperature, combined with high humidity and less wind, is creating more powerful storms. It’s likely that the biggest storm of all will hit the United States somewhere in late 2021 to early 2021. Perhaps you’d like to take a moment to check out the links below for more information on what to do now, so we can prepare for this global change.
