EBN- Record-high ocean temperatures have increased the maximum wind speeds of all Atlantic hurricanes recorded in 2024, according to a study published Wednesday, confirming that global warming is exacerbating the destructive power of storms.
This study, conducted by the American Climate Central Research Institute, showed that the 11 hurricanes that occurred this year intensified at a rate of 14 to 45 kilometers per hour, according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse.
“Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have affected sea surface temperatures around the world,” study author Daniel Gilford told the media.
In the Gulf of Mexico, these emissions have caused sea surface temperatures to rise by about 1.4 degrees Celsius above what they would have been in a world without climate change.
This warming is making hurricane winds stronger, and events like Debbie and Oscar have quickly transformed from tropical storms into full-blown hurricanes.
Hurricanes like Milton and Beryl have risen from 4 to 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale due to climate change, while Hurricane Helen has risen from 3 to 4.
This increase in level translates into an increase in destructive power approximately four times.
Hurricane Helen was particularly devastating, killing more than 200 people, and was the second most violent hurricane to hit the American continent in more than half a century, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
According to another study conducted by Climate Central, between 2019 and 2023, 84 percent of hurricanes became much more intense due to ocean warming caused by human activities.
Although their studies focused on the Atlantic basin, the researchers stressed that their approach could be applied to tropical cyclones on a global scale.
Climate scientists have warned that the effects could worsen as warming exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius.
