The maximum speed of hurricanes in the subtropical Atlantic in the Bermuda region has more than doubled on average over the past 60 years. Scientists call this a consequence of the increase in ocean temperatures in the region due to climate change. The link between the two is revealed in an article published in Environmental Research Letters.
The catastrophic intensification of hurricanes occurs due to the energy that is given to the atmosphere by the ocean surface in the form of heat. Between 1955 and 2019, the average hurricane intensity near Bermuda, as measured by maximum wind speeds, increased from 56 to 113 kilometers per hour (an increase of 10 kilometers per hour over a decade). At the same time, the ocean surface temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius.
Researchers have also developed a method for predicting hurricane strength using the theory of potential hurricane intensity, weathering data, and observations of the surface and the top layer of the ocean in and around hurricanes passing within 100 kilometers of Bermuda over the past 65 years. It turned out that for a more accurate forecast, it is necessary to take into account not only the sea surface temperature, but also the heat contained in the upper layer of sea water.