The Impact of Climate Change on Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Two recent studies reveal that unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico contributed significantly to the intensification of hurricanes Helene and Milton, underscoring the impact of human-caused climate change on storm severity, Science News reported.

As Hurricane Milton neared Florida, its sudden transformation into a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 290 kilometers per hour (180 miles per hour) was directly linked to the Gulf's record-hot waters. Known to develop tropical storms, this heat source amplifies storm vigor by transferring warm seawater energy upward, speeding the cyclonic winds. Similarly, Hurricane Helene harnessed this heat to escalate before making landfall with 225 km/h (140 mph) winds, resulting in widespread damage and over 220 fatalities in the Southeast U.S.

The sea surface temperatures in the Gulf along Milton's path were estimated to be 400 to 800 times more prevalent due to human-induced warming, an analysis released by Climate Central and World Weather Attribution shows. In the wake of Helene, the temperature abnormalities were found to be between 200 to 500 times more likely under current climate conditions, also increasing Helene's rainfall intensity by 10% compared to a pre-industrial world scenario.

Gulf waters along these hurricanes' paths were about 1.26 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than typical. Climate Central noted that their utilization of EU data rather than NCEI, impacted by Hurricane Helene, might underestimate the actual rise in temperature.

The frequency and intensity of such dramatic weather events serve as a grim reminder of climate change's ongoing impact. With an anticipated further 10% increase in storm-related rainfall upon reaching a 2 degrees Celsius global temperature rise, it's clear climate change is significantly influencing the dynamics of these massive storms. As Chief Meteorologist Bernadette Woods Placky puts it, the heat humanity infuses into the earth is akin to a 'steroid' for hurricanes, exacerbating their destructive force. Without curbing fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions, the vicious cycle of powerful hurricanes like Helene and Milton are bound to increase.

Earlier, SSP wrote that scientists managed to replicate animal movements with striking accuracy.