Hurricanes Like Laura Are More Likely Because Of Climate Change

Enlarge this image


Hurricane Laura approaches the Gulf Coast of the U.S. on August 26. The storm rapidly intensified before it made landfall.





AP



hide caption



toggle caption


AP



Science
Rain, Surge And Wind: How To Understand Your Hurricane Risk

That’s exactly what happened to Hurricane Laura. The water in the Gulf of Mexico right now is significantly warmer than average, and in some places it’s nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

«This is concerning because hurricanes that rapidly intensify before landfall are the hardest ones to prepare for, says Masters, because there is less time for people to evacuate or find local shelters than can withstand highly destructive wind speeds.

That’s especially true during the pandemic, when public shelters come with the threat of coronavirus transmission.

Hurricane Laura will affect a large swath of the central and eastern U.S. in the coming days. As with previous storms, rain-driven flooding could stretch thousands of miles.