Jamaica recently experienced it’s strongest hurricane on record, Melissa, a rapidly intensifying storm fueled by exceptionally warm ocean waters. The Category 4 hurricane brought sustained winds of 140 mph and torrential rainfall to the island nation in late October, prompting widespread evacuations and raising concerns about infrastructure damage.
Climate change is increasingly implicated in the escalating intensity of hurricanes like Melissa.Researchers at Climate Central resolute that the conditions enabling Melissa’s rapid intensification – ocean waters 1.4C warmer than average – were made up to 700 times more likely due to the climate crisis. This event underscores a growing trend: last year, the world’s oceans reached their warmest temperatures ever recorded, continuing a pattern of record-breaking marine heat.
The warming of ocean waters provides hurricanes with the energy they need to intensify rapidly, increasing both their wind speeds and rainfall potential. As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists predict that hurricanes will become more frequent and more powerful, posing an increasing threat to coastal communities worldwide. NASA data confirms the ongoing trend of ocean warming, highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change to mitigate the risks associated with these extreme weather events.
