Climate Change and its Impact on Our Hurricanes

Elizabeth Walen ’28

In less than one month, two hurricanes, Helene and Milton, devastated our country, with both hitting the Southeastern part of the U.S. On September 26, multiple states were struck by Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm with winds of 140 mph. On October 9th, less than two weeks later, Florida was hit by Hurricane Milton. These storms brought intense flooding that is estimated to have cost fifty billion dollars worth of damage each. The strength of these storms and the extent of the devastation they wrought brought a Florida meteorologist to tears on camera. You may be thinking, “Well, what should I do about it?” First, we should look at how these storms even formed.

Hurricane Helene started as a tropical storm off the west coast of Africa. It moved westward across the Atlantic and encountered sea surface temperatures of 29–30°C (84-86°C), causing it to intensify into a tropical depression, a cyclone with surface winds of 38mph. Around this time, the wind shear (the change in wind speed or direction with altitude) was unusually low, which allowed Helene to form a symmetrical core. These circumstances, along with the moist atmosphere, caused the storm to rapidly intensify into a Category 3 hurricane, hitting Florida at 140 miles per hour.

Hurricane Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico at the beginning of October. It began as a mere tropical disturbance near the Yucatán Peninsula with conditions similar to those that caused Hurricane Helene. The water of the Gulf of Mexico had surface temperature readings of 30-31°C, higher than those encountered by Helene. By October 5th, Milton had turned into an intense tropical storm. A subtropical ridge over the Southeastern U.S. steered Milton towards Florida, and the atmospheric pressure patterns allowed a clockwise rotation to develop so that the unstable air from the Gulf exacerbated the dangerous conditions of the storm. Like Helene, Milton grew in strength because of a low vertical wind shear, which allowed the storm’s central core and eye to remain intact. When it made landfall near Siesta Keys, Florida, the hurricane was a Category 3. Milton’s growth in size caused the intensity of the storm to decrease when it hit landfall.

You most likely heard of the recent hurricanes after scrolling through your phone, hearing about it from various news outlets, or talking with a friend about its horrific impact during lunch. Understanding the science behind why these hurricanes became so dangerous prompts the question, what really caused the spike in intensity for these hurricanes? The answer is simple: Global warming. You may be thinking, “Yeah, duh.” But some theorists aren’t. It isn’t a machine from the government nor is it a punishment for crossing the street without looking, it’s the consequence of humanity's actions since the Industrial Revolution.

As said on Vox, “The more greenhouse gas, the more potential there is for stronger winds and hurricanes,” says Kerry Emanuel, an emeritus professor of atmospheric science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. CO2 emissions have increased 182 times since 1850. This increase is mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, one of the most toxic energy sources on our planet. As we continue to use energy sources that rely on fossil fuels, the intensity of hurricanes will only get worse.

Not only is the increase in CO2 emissions distressing, but the climate impacts of burning fossil fuels also impacts water temperatures. As ice masses separate from glaciers due to rising temperatures, the melting ice expands the amount of water in the oceans. This leads to rising sea levels as well as warmer oceans. This warmer water leads to more intense winds, which pushes more water inland and leads to storm surges that can double in height. For every 1°C (33.8°F) increase in the air, 7% more water is retained in the atmosphere, increasing the risks of flooding when rains get heavier. All of these factors cause flooding to devastate impacted areas even more. Though climate change does seem to be intensifying hurricanes, there is no consensus among the scientific community on how climate change changes the frequency of hurricanes.

Many people despair the devastation of climate change, even going as far to say that it signals the “end of the world.” The climate clock, tears from meteorologists, and increasingly extreme temperatures can all be seen as indicators that our world cannot sustain itself, as if the Earth is already at the end of her life. Some compare it to the movie 2012 by Roland Emmerich, in which hundreds of cataclysmic events devastate the earth. But we are not yet at a terminal point. Though we cannot erase the damage caused by humanity in the past, there are things that we can do to repair and fix our world. All hope is not lost. Hurricanes Helene and Milton are aggressive reminders of our climate situation, and should be taken as calls to action—if we take decisive steps now, we can mitigate future damage and protect our planet from even more catastrophic events. You can make a significant difference to the future of our planet. Each individual's personal actions can cumulatively contribute to positive change. Sign petitions, join our environment-focused clubs, and ensure that you are doing your best to contribute to the healing of the earth.