Marine heatwaves "fuel" the destructive power of hurricanes - study

A new study has shown that marine heatwaves significantly exacerbate the damage caused by hurricanes and tropical cyclones worldwide, writes UNN with reference to AP.

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Researchers studied 1,600 tropical cyclones — a broader category of storms that includes hurricanes — that made landfall since 1981 and found that those that passed over particularly hot water were more likely to rapidly intensify, which is becoming an increasingly common problem.

This led to a 60% increase in the number of natural disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage (adjusted for inflation) after they made landfall, according to a study published Friday in the journal Science Advances.

A deeper understanding of how marine heatwaves intensify hurricanes can help forecasters, emergency responders, and long-term planners prepare for future storms.

"These marine heatwaves affect more than half of tropical cyclones that make landfall," said co-author Gregory Foltz, an oceanographer with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "They occur closer to land and more frequently, so I think people need to be aware and know that when they make landfall, they are more likely to cause widespread destruction."

For meteorologists who forecast storm trajectories, it is important to consider whether these hurricanes will pass over a marine heatwave zone, as in this case, the probability of their rapid intensification is higher, which "could potentially affect landfall," Foltz said.

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