I was very interested to learn how hurricanes are formed. Some of the requirements are: the ocean water temperature needs to be a least 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the air must be warm, humid and unstable. Further research showed me that warmer ocean temperatures are being caused by climate change.
http://hum-24.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-york-sandy-hurricane.html
According to a New York Times article, since 1955, more than 90 percent of the excess heat retained by the Earth as a result of increased greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the oceans. The oceans, in turn, expands and becomes more acidic as it becomes hotter. These conditions are like fuel for storms and can only make hurricane events worse. Recently in the news is the prediction that climate change is changing the hurricane season and the warmer oceans would allow for stronger hurricanes and typhoons.
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Hurricanes have many of the causes that you mentioned, but can also be affected by global weather patterns or events like El Niño. How are events like El Niño affected by climate change (if they are affected at all), and how do they then impact hurricane formation, frequency, and intensity?
Hi Emma.
Thanks for commenting on this older, but highly relevant post on ClimateYou. Understanding global weather patterns and El Niño impacts on climate change is complicated, but keeping the dialogue open is key to knowing how these play a part in global warming