Global Warming Lends Strength to Storms and Hurricanes...

Scientists have recently discovered that, due to global warming and its heating effect on oceans, hurricanes are likely to become both more frequent and more intense.

Published in Thursday’s issue of the journal Nature, a study conducted by a team of researchers led by hurricane scientist at the Florida State University James Elsner, showed that climate change registered during the past 25 years had really affected storms, rendering them stronger.

Satellite data from 1981 through 2006, a 25-year period in which sea surface temperature registered a rise from 82.8 degrees Fahrenheit to 83.3 degrees, has revealed that the highest wind speeds of the strongest storms reached an average 156 m.p.h. in 2006, compared to only 140 m.p.h. in 1981.

Each year, an approximate number of 90 cyclones form worldwide, the stronger of which are hurricanes. During this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1 and is due to end on November 30, no less than 10 named storms have formed in the ocean so far.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s predictions for the season included 12 to 16 tropical storms, with six to nine hurricanes and two to five major hurricanes.

Hurricanes fall into 5 different categories, based on their wind speed: category 1 includes the ones which, reaching a maximum sustained speed of 74-95 miles per hour, are bound to cause minimal damage; category two hurricanes, with speed ranging from 96 to 110 miles per hour, have moderate damage potential; category three ones (111-130miles per hour) cause extensive damage, while category 4 ones (131-155 miles per hour) are rated as extreme damage hurricanes.

The highest category consists of hurricanes that can reach a maximum sustained speed that exceeds 155 miles per hour.

This year, in August, category 4 Hurricane Gustav hit Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, killing 125 people before it was absorbed, on September 4, by a cold front over the Ozarks.