Hurricane Helene was wetter and windier due to climate change, report finds
As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida’s west coast, a new report estimates how much more intense Hurricane Helene’s winds and rain were because of climate change.
As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida’s west coast, a new report estimates how much more intense Hurricane Helene’s winds and rain were because of climate change. The scientists behind the research said that they expect Milton to behave similarly and that it is likely to be worse because of climate change, as well.
The report, published at midnight Wednesday, comes from the World Weather Attribution group, a consortium of scientists that analyzes extreme weather and is considered a foremost authority in determining how much climate change has influenced a particular event.
The findings indicate that Hurricane Helene’s wind speeds were 11% more intense and its rainfall totals were about 10% higher because of climate change.
“We have all the full body of research now that shows this very clear connection” between climate change and hurricane intensity, said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, who contributed to the new research. “The biggest danger is not to make the connection to climate change.”
Like Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton is traveling over a record-hot ocean: Sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are far higher than usual, even for this time of year. Warm water acts as fuel for such storms, helping them intensify more quickly.
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