How much does climate change play into hurricane seasons?
That gives hurricanes more fuel, and the tank for hurricanes remains full heading into the new season.
New research from the non-profit group Climate Central shows that every Atlantic Basin hurricane last year was made stronger due to human-induced climate warming.
'It is really like the speed limit of the hurricane being bumped up because the sea-surface temperatures are bumped up. A faster spinning engine means the car can go faster and that also means the hurricane can go faster,' said Climate Central Climate Scientist Dr. Daniel Gilford.
The new data shows that Helene's maximum intensity was increased by 16 mph, enough difference to move the historic storm from Category 3 to Category 4 strength.
'We are seeing this really clear effect where sea-surface temperature warmth did play a role in hurricane Helene's intensification,' said Dr. Gilford.
The study shows that hurricanes in 2024 strengthened over water that was made as much as 2.5 degrees warmer due to climate change. But it is not just the speed of these systems that is changing.
UNC Charlotte's Associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Dr. Brian Magi, notes an increase in heavy rainfall from recent tropical systems.
'The chance of higher precipitation for each hurricane is now higher in a warmer world,' said Dr. Magi.
There is something called the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship. It is a thermodynamic equation that states a one-degree increase in temperature allows the atmosphere to hold four percent more moisture or water vapor.
That means a twenty-degree increase in temperature can allow the water vapor in the atmosphere to double, but it is not just the water in the sky that is causing issues.
'Sea-level rise is affecting the entire eastern seaboard, and of course, the entire eastern seaboard of the United States is vulnerable to the Atlantic Basin's hurricanes,' said Dr. Magi.
NC Senate approves another $700 million in Hurricane Helene relief funds
Even though flooding is a serious and deadly impact of hurricanes. Storm surge is the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths in the U.S., which makes sea-level rise more threatening.
'Every hurricane that approaches the coastline has a greater potential to bring more water into the inland communities that are on the coast,' said Dr. Magi.
There is also something about the fast-growing nature of these storms. According to Climate Central, roughly 80 percent of major hurricanes undergo rapid intensification, which occurs when a tropical cyclone gains 35 mph or more within 24 hours.
UNC Charlotte's Associate Professor of Meteorology, Dr. Matthew Eastin, explains that a contributing factor to rapid intensification is a warm ocean current in the Gulf called the Loop Current.
'(The storms) happen to pass over those warm water features and then rapidly intensify right before landfall. Milton was an example, (and) Helene was an example,' said Dr. Eastin.
Although above-normal hurricane seasons appear to be the new normal. Dr. Eastin explains that there are seasonal variations that could still lead to calmer seasons.
'Simply because the waters might be cooler that year, there might be things like El Nino in place or stronger vertical shear. So, it is going to oscillate a lot from year to year. But if you look at the long-term trends, we are going to expect more hurricanes,' said Dr. Eastin.
Scientists warn that the new normal for hurricane seasons could change years down the line, as the planet continues to warm.
The long-term climate projections on hurricane seasons can be alarming, but there is optimism among scientists. Mainly due to the new sources of electricity that have been introduced globally. The trading of coal for technology like solar, wind, hydrothermal, and natural gas.
Scientists also stress that climate change can be solved through conversations in your community.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
9 hours ago
- New York Post
How to protect yourself against flesh-eating bacteria — as deadly infection sweeps 5 states
Let this sink in — a dangerous, salt-obsessed bacterium is wreaking havoc along the Gulf Coast. Several dozen cases of Vibrio vulnificus and nine deaths have been reported so far this year across Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. The rod-shaped bacterium lurks in warm, brackish waters — it can enter your body when you consume raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, or expose an open wound to seawater. Advertisement 5 Beware swimming in open water if you have an open wound. Vibrio vulnificus could infect you. astrosystem – 'Vibrio has the potential to cause severe infections, including invasive soft tissue infections (sometimes called 'necrotizing fasciitis' or 'flesh-eating bacteria') and bloodstream infections,' Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, told The Post. Here's what you need to know about this rare but potentially deadly infection. What is Vibrio vulnificus? Advertisement Vibrio vulnificus was initially reported in medical literature in 1976, though it's believed to date back to ancient times. It's part of the broader Vibrio genus of bacteria that live in coastal waters. 5 Vibrio vulnificus is a rod-shaped bacterium that lurks in warm, brackish waters. Giovanni Cancemi – This group includes Vibrio cholerae, the pathogen that causes the diarrheal disease cholera, which is typically transmitted through contaminated food or water. Advertisement 'There are more than 200 recognized species of marine (saltwater) Vibrios, but only a few species cause significant public health problems, particularly foodborne illness, skin infections and wound infections,' a spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services told The Post. For its part, Vibrio vulnificus needs salt to survive, which is why it occupies warm seawater, especially brackish environments, where freshwater and saltwater mix. 'It thrives in warm water, so cases tend to peak during the summer and are more common in the southern US around the Gulf Coast,' Handel said. Where have cases been reported? Advertisement The Florida Department of Health has logged 13 cases with four deaths as of July 24. There were 82 cases and 19 deaths last year, up from 46 cases and 11 deaths in 2023. 5 Cases, which tend to peak in the summer, are more common along the Gulf Coast. kittyfly – The agency noted an 'unusual increase' in infections in some parts of Florida last year because of Hurricane Helene, which struck the state in September 2024. Louisiana authorities have confirmed 17 cases, including four deaths, as of July 30. They noted that the state typically records seven cases and a death each year and blamed the uptick on 'increasing water temperatures and extreme weather events.' About 75% of the cases are from wound exposure to seawater. Advertisement North Carolina has recorded 59 Vibrio cases and one death this year as of July 31. The data includes illnesses from the vulnificus and cholera strains, as well as other Vibrio infections. The Mississippi State Department of Health told The Post it has confirmed 13 Vibrio reports so far this year, down from 50 last year. No one died from Vibrio in 2024 or 2025. Seafood consumption seems to be a common culprit. The state's data includes cases from Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which tends to cause watery diarrhea. Alabama reported 18 cases of vibriosis this year through late last month, according to local media, which said there were 54 cases in 2024. What are the symptoms? Advertisement Vibrio vulnificus symptoms depend on the type of infection. Exposing an open cut to contaminated water can cause a high fever, intense pain, swelling and redness at the wound site. 'The symptoms from skin infections can progress very quickly,' Handel said. 5 Vibrio vulnificus can also enter your body when you consume raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters. Ilja – A soft tissue infection can lead to skin breakdown, ulcers and fluid-filled blisters. Significant tissue damage can occur in severe cases. Advertisement People who have eaten contaminated shellfish could experience severe vomiting and diarrhea, which may lead to dehydration. Stomach pain, fever and chills might follow. Once in the bloodstream, Vibrio vulnificus can cause rapid and serious illness. A bloodstream infection can spur a fever, chills, dizziness, confusion, dangerously low blood pressure, a fast heart rate and blistering skin lesions. Advertisement The Florida Department of Health reports that infections that hit the bloodstream are fatal about half the time. The risk of life-threatening complications is higher for people who are older or immunocompromised, particularly if they have chronic liver disease. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission. 5 About 75% of the Louisiana cases are from wound exposure to seawater. LoloStock – How is Vibrio vulnificus treated? Vibrio vulnificus is diagnosed by testing blood, wound fluid or stool samples. Antibiotics are administered immediately. In aggressive cases, amputation of affected limbs may be needed to remove infected or dead tissue. What can you do to protect yourself from infection? Handel recommends steering clear of open bodies of water, like the ocean, rivers and estuaries, if you have cuts or scrapes. 'To prevent Vibrio food poisoning, avoid eating raw shellfish, especially if you are immunocompromised or have chronic liver disease,' he added. 'If you do eat shellfish, make sure it has not been sitting out for a long time and comes from a hygienic source.'
28-07-2025
As much of the US braces for extreme heat, statistics show 2,000 die from it annually
As extreme heat is forecast across much of the U.S. this week, health departments across the country are warning people to take steps to survive the potentially deadly weather. Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S., claiming roughly 2,000 people annually, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But experts note the official heat-related death toll may be undercounted due to heat sometimes not being considered as a factor in someone's death. The latest CDC statistics show that 150 heat-related deaths have already occurred in the United States in 2025, but the data is only partially tabulated due to delays in reporting. During the previous two years, more than 4,800 heat-related U.S. deaths were recorded, according to the CDC. Since 2020, there have been at least 9,436 heat-related deaths across the nation, the CDC noted. The CDC statistics show that the number of heat-related deaths increased from 1,156 in 2020 to 2,415 in 2023, before slightly declining to 2,394 last year. Meanwhile, the average number of heat waves that major U.S. cities experience each year has doubled since the 1980s, according to the federal government's Fifth National Climate Assessment. An analysis by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators that research climate change, found that between June and August 2024, the average person experienced an additional 17 days of "risky heat" because of human-amplified climate change, and that over the summer months, one in four people on the planet had no respite from the heat. The organization defined "risky heat" as days with temperatures hotter than 90% of the temperatures recorded in a local area from 1991 to 2020. Heat waves are becoming even more dangerous as overnight temperatures are too high to relieve people from the heat, prolonging heat stress and the associated heat risks. Extreme levels of heat stress have more than doubled over the past 40 years, a trend that is expected to continue, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body cannot properly cool itself. While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough. In these cases, a person's body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down and can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs. Hot days can affect anyone. Those who are pregnant, with a heart condition or other chronic condition, as well as children with asthma, can be especially affected. An estimated 70,000 people visit emergency rooms and an average of 10,000 are hospitalized annually due to heat. Between Jan. 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2023, there were a total of 119,605 emergency room visits across the country for heat-related illnesses, with 92% of those visits occurring between May and September, according to a report published in April 2024 by the CDC. July and August had higher than average ER visits due to heat than other warm-season months, including May, June and September, according to the report, which looked at data of ER visits caused by heat in 2023 and compared it to visits between 2018 and 2022. These findings are "consistent with record-breaking temperatures observed … in 2023," the CDC said. More than 200 million people across the country, from South Dakota to Florida and up the East Coast to Boston, are on alert for widespread, dangerous heat on Monday and into the new work week, and parts of the Southeast could experience the brunt of the sweltering conditions. The highest temperatures on Monday will be focused in the Southeast, from the Carolinas to Florida, where extreme heat indices -- that is, what the temperatures feel like when humidity is factored in -- are forecast to be between 105 and 115 degrees. Parts of Mississippi and Louisiana are on alert for heat indices up to 120 degrees. Extreme heat is also expected to continue on Monday and Tuesday in the Midwest, where over the weekend temperatures felt between 97 to 111 degrees from Lincoln, Nebraska, up into Minneapolis. The Northeast is in store for multiple days of dangerous heat. Heat indices in the Northeast are forecast to make it feel like the mid-90s to 104 on Monday. Officials in Boston, Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C., have all declared a heat emergency for this week, which includes opening cooling centers and working with utility providers to encourage energy conservation and maintain electrical grid reliability. The New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are urging New Yorkers to take precautions to protect themselves from hot and humid weather that is expected to extend into Wednesday. NYCEM Commissioner Zach Iscol said this will the fifth heat emergency for New York City this season. "Prolonged heat like this is dangerous, especially for older adults, people with health conditions, and those without air conditioning," Iscol said in a statement. "Stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity, and find a Cool Option, whether it's a City cooling center like a library or a private space such as a friend's or relative's home."
Newsweek
25-07-2025
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where 100-Year Floods Have Hit Across the US Over Past Year
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The term "100-year flood" implies that the event is a rare occurrence; however, dozens of such storms have inundated the United States over the past year alone, prompting concern that they are occurring more frequently as the Earth's climate continues to warm. Why It Matters Flooding is the second-deadliest weather hazard in the U.S., next to extreme heat. Devastating flood events have made headlines numerous times this year, including a 1,000-year atmospheric river event that hit the Midwest and South in April and the deadly floods that inundated Central Texas over the July 4th weekend. The frequency of such flooding rainstorms, which often go hand-in-hand with death and destruction, is alarming. What's even more concerning is that AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek that these events are happening more frequently. What To Know In 2024, dozens of 100-year rainstorms struck the U.S. Each point is marked on the map below, created by Colorado State University. The points marking each event are widespread, with only a few states escaping unscathed. Last year wasn't a one-time occurrence, either. This year is also "shaping up to be one of the most flood-impacted summers on record in the United States," AccuWeather reported. A map from Colorado State University shows where 100-year rainstorm events were documented in 2024. A map from Colorado State University shows where 100-year rainstorm events were documented in 2024. Colorado State University What Is a 100-Year Flood? The United States Geological Service (USGS) describes the term "100-year flood" as an attempt "to simplify the definition of a flood that statistically has a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year." Where Did 100-Year Rainstorms Hit in 2024? On the CSU map, countless points pepper the Eastern Seaboard around North Carolina and South Carolina after Hurricane Helene struck in September. Others show the devastating impact of the summer monsoon season in New Mexico, which caused deserts to flood and cars to become stranded as water washed over a highway. Vermont faced catastrophic floods in late July. Central Texas, known as Flash Flood Alley, experienced several 100-year rainstorms last year, as did Florida, with a scattershot of points dated as occurring during the Atlantic hurricane season. There was also an onslaught of precipitation that hit South Dakota in June 2024, as well as a similar storm that measured as a 100-year event at several locations in Missouri in November, among others. Only a few states emerged unscathed, including Iowa, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts, but most of the U.S. experienced some form of severe flooding precipitation last year. Why Are 100-Year Floods Occurring More Frequently? The map's creator, Russ Schumacher, a professor of atmospheric sciences at CSU and a CSU climatologist, told Newsweek that improved technology, such as radar, provides better access to data, which can make it seem as if the flood events are happening more frequently. However, he also stressed the impact of climate change. "The physics of climate change tells us that we should see these extreme events more frequently," he said. As the atmosphere grows warmer through global warming, its ability to hold moisture increases, DaSilva told Newsweek. "This is why in the wintertime, we typically don't see too much flash flooding in the wintertime," DaSilva said. "It's too cold, and there's snow, of course, but it's hard to get the moisture content you need for heavy rain events in the wintertime because it's cooler out. In the summertime obviously the temperature is above freezing, but the atmosphere can hold more water content. There's more moisture to squeeze out." Which States Have Increased Flood Risk? As the atmosphere's ability to hold moisture increases, DaSilva told Newsweek that states in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys are becoming wetter, while areas like California are becoming drier. What People Are Saying AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek: "When the atmosphere is getting warmer as a what it's doing is making summer warmer and the shoulder seasons warmer as well. What's happening is those seasons, especially in the summertime, the [atmosphere's] ability to hold more moisture is going up as well." DaSilva added: "It doesn't guarantee we will see more rain over a certain area, it rains, it's going to rain heavier." The USGS in a webpage about 100-year flood events: "In other words, over the course of 1 million years, these events would be expected to occur 10,000 times. But, just because it rained 10 inches in one day last year doesn't mean it can't rain 10 inches in one day again this year." What Happens Next As the probability of heavy rain events increases, people are advised to have a flood plan in place before such an event occurs in their area. People should also never drive on a flooded roadway, as most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
