2021 Hurricane Season Preview

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins next week, running from June through November. While experts with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the National Hurricane Center are considering advancing the start date of hurricane season to May 15th, it’s not yet clear that climate change is causing tropical systems to occur earlier.

So what do we know about how climate change influences hurricanes? We know that warming sea surface temperatures due to climate change add fuel to hurricanes, making for stronger hurricanes that can strengthen much more quickly (rapid intensification).

Climate change can also lead to worse flooding with hurricanes. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, increasing the amount of rainfall during a tropical storm. Sea level rise also contributes to higher and more dangerous coastal storm surges.