Why would climate change produce stronger hurricanes?
The planet is getting warmer as cars and power plants put more carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gases in the air. That means the oceans are getting warmer, too. And hurricanes are fueled by warm water. A hurricane can’t form at all until water reaches about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperature also determines how strong a storm can become. The warmer the water, the higher the potential wind speeds. In 2005, hurricanes Katrina and Rita weren’t major storms until they passed over a stretch of especially warm water in the Gulf of Mexico. Then both became Category 5 storms with winds of more than 175 miles per hour. So why are scientists arguing about climate change and hurricanes? Sea surface temperatures and the number of hurricanes have both been on the rise in the North Atlantic since 1995. But scientists disagree about whether this is the result of climate change or a natural cycle. And it takes a lot more than warm water to make hurricanes. They require a jump-start
