In 2020, storms constantly surged over the Atlantic Ocean. By the end of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, storms in the Atlantic accumulated to 30, the most ever recorded in a year. As the number of hurricanes each year begins to exceed the average, the question of why hurricanes are becoming more abundant and if they are intensifying arises.
So, What Are the Prime Conditions for A Hurricane?
Hurricanes are storms that, if set in the right conditions, can grow immensely in size and potential destruction. Several factors play into the intensification of a hurricane. One of them is warm waters, in which storms feed off of warm waters, and they draw energy from the warm water in order to intensify. In order for hurricanes to grow from waters, however, the surface temperature of the water must be over 80°F. If this condition is present, the chances of hurricane intensification increase.
In addition to warm waters, air moisture must be high enough for a hurricane to grow. Without moisture, there would be a lack of cloud form, inhibiting the intensification of a hurricane. Additionally, vertical wind shear must also be low because when wind shear is high, it can disassemble the storm. Hurricanes move in a counterclockwise motion in the Northern Hemisphere. With vertical moving wind shears, the hurricane can lose its momentum, greatly weakening it. Wind shear plays a major role in the development of a hurricane. If the conditions of warm water and high moisture are present, high vertical wind shear can still tear through a hurricane.
Is Intensification More Likely Today?
Due to the record-high number of storms in the Atlantic Basin in 2020, the impression is that hurricanes are becoming more likely, and even more deadly. The figure below shows data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on the abundance of hurricanes in past years.
Figure of the abundance of hurricanes each year, spanning from 1967-2020. This figure was created in 2020, so the data in 2020 remains incomplete.
Based on the data, no significant increase is evident on the abundance of hurricanes in recent years. However, major hurricanes have increased in the 21st century. During the 1970s and 1980s, the average amount of major hurricanes identified each year in the Atlantic basin was around 1.6. The numbers have shifted in recent years, as the average amount of hurricanes in a year during the 2000s and 2010s amassed to 3.0 to 3.6.
Hurricanes have long been natural disasters capable of damaging entire cities, causing intense flooding and destruction of property. In recent years, evidence points to higher occurrences of rapidly intensifying hurricanes. Climate change can be a factor, as it leads to inconsistent weather patterns and greater fluctuations. Today, hurricanes are intensifying concerningly fast, and the issue of climate change is a major component of the growth of this natural disaster.
Sources
Buchholz, Katharina. "Are There More Hurricanes Today Than 100 Years Ago?" Statista, 2020, www.statista.com/chart/11009/hurricanes-over-the-atlantic-basin/.
Slocum, Chris. "Is Rapid Intensification Of Hurricanes Becoming More Common?" Honolulu Civil Beat, 2020, www.civilbeat.org/2020/09/is-rapid-intensification-of-hurricanes-becoming-more-common/.