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Global Warming Expected to Intensify Hurricanes

Posted by michael on from the florida-real-estate-not-such-a-good-investment dept.

DoraLives writes "Think this hurricane season was bad? Well according to the New York Times, a study was published online on Tuesday by The Journal of Climate indicating that warming ocean temperatures are going to make for stronger, wetter hurricanes in the coming years and decades. An abstract of the article concludes cheerfully enough that 'greenhouse gas-induced warming may lead to a gradually increasing risk in the occurrence of highly destructive category-5 storms.' Oh joy."

6 of 589 comments (clear)

  1. Weather is complicated by erick99 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Even the most complicated computer models for weather systems can only approach less than 5% of the actual variability and density of the atmosphere. Consider that most forecasts are less than 50% accurate at 48hrs+. I am not dismissing the research, far from it, I just don't think the models are there yet.

    --
    http://www.busyweather.com/
  2. Re:Nature's way... by Zarks · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Prehaps this is nature's way of telling America, the worlds biggest polluter by far to take global warming seriously.

    If this doesn't do it nothing will. It is the equivilant of being hit on the back of the head and not bothering to turn round to stop whatever hit you from hitting you again.

  3. History by Tiggan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Or, we could quit trying to blame everything on "global warming" and realize that hurricane severity is cyclical. Florida's been due for a couple of years now.

  4. Re:Forseen 18 years ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Earth's climate has been going through changes for millions of years. Why are we so vain to think that it will stop changing just because we like it the way it was?

    Probably because the evidence clearly shows that the rate of change has been accelerating since the industrial revolution. But don't let the facts get in the way of your nice comfortable lifestyle.

  5. Re:Nature's way... by Thagg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    CO2 emissions will likely increase over the next few decades, unless the countries that produce the most CO2 will start taking drastic action. That means the US, and to some extent, Europe and China. The 1% figure is about right.

    The ULEV vehicles you trash actually eliminate far worse greenhouse gases. Methane, for example, is 100x as potent a greenhouse gas as CO2, and the advanced catalysts do eliminate almost all the hydrocarbons (like methane) from the exhaust.

    These hurricanes are really Nature's way of suggesting to Floridians that their vote really matters.

    Thad

    --
    I love Mondays. On a Monday, anything is possible.
  6. Re:Forseen 18 years ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Did your dad ever mention what caused enough global warming 11,000 years ago to cause the glaciers to receed? I know it wasn't my SUV. Maybe it had something to do with proto-republicans?

    Hey num-nuts. There is a difference between 5 degree change over 100,000 years and 5 degree change of 10 years.