Climate Change Boosts Atlantic Hurricane Wind Speeds by 18 mph

Nov 20, 2024, 11:31 AM

A new study by Climate Central has revealed that human-caused climate change has significantly intensified Atlantic hurricanes over the past six years. The research indicates that climate change has increased the intensity of more than 80% of storms between 2019 and 2023, with all hurricanes in 2024 being stronger than they would have been a century ago. Specifically, the study found that hurricane wind speeds have been boosted by an average of 18 miles per hour due to warmer ocean temperatures, which are a direct result of human-driven climate change. This increase in wind speed has led to a category jump on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale for many of these storms. Additionally, the year-to-year swings in North Atlantic tropical cyclone seasons are expected to become more pronounced, potentially increasing by as much as 36% by 2049.