How Hurricane Idalia went from a Category 1 to a Category 4. How bad is global warming right now ?
Overnight Hurricane Idalia, the eighth major hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since 2017, has left behind a trail of destruction and disruption in Florida and other parts of the Southeast.
The storm, which reached Category 4 status on Sunday, was initially forecasted to be a Category 1 or 2 hurricane when it approached the Florida coast.
So how did Idalia become so powerful in such a short time?
The answer lies in the phenomenon of rapid intensification, which occurs when a hurricane’s maximum sustained winds increase by at least 35 mph in 24 hours or less.
Idalia is not the first hurricane to undergo rapid intensification in recent years.
In fact, warmer oceans in recent years have provided the energy for hurricanes to rapidly intensify more often and more intensely than before, a phenomenon that will likely be more common in a warming climate.
As Hurricane Idalia has shown, rapid intensification can make hurricanes more unpredictable and dangerous, challenging forecasters and emergency managers .
Therefore, it is important for people living in hurricane-prone areas to be prepared for the worst-case scenario and follow the advice of local authorities when a storm threatens.
We all need to start researching climate change and make sure our elected senators are take these changes seriously.
Philly News 