Recent findings by scientists indicate that climate change significantly contributed to the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which impacted several Caribbean nations. The analysis was released on Thursday, detailing how the storm's winds and rainfall were intensified by rising temperatures and humidity levels linked to human activities.
Hurricane Melissa was among the most powerful storms to hit the Atlantic, causing severe destruction in Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, and resulting in dozens of fatalities. Significant structural damage was reported, including roofs torn off homes, damaged hospitals, and blocked roads due to landslides and flooded crop fields.
A rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution noted that climate change increased Melissa’s wind speeds by 7% and intensified its rainfall by 16%. Additionally, the conditions that allowed the storm to strengthen were found to be six times more likely due to climate change than in a pre-industrial climate.
The study emphasizes the direct relationship between climate change and extreme weather events, highlighting the increasing risk posed by warmer oceans. The temperatures in the Caribbean during Melissa's path were approximately 1.4°C (2.5°F) higher than historical averages, providing the energy needed for the storm's rapid intensification.
Climate scientist Theodore Keeping remarked, Warmer ocean temperatures are the engine that drives hurricanes; the hotter the water, the greater the potential wind speeds. He noted that without climate change, Melissa would have had significantly lower wind speeds, likely resulting in less destruction.
The implications of such studies are profound as increasing wind speeds are correlated with greater economic damages from storms, a concern echoed by experts who monitor climate-related impacts.
As scientists continue to analyze the patterns of rapid intensification related to human-induced climate warming, the findings align with existing research on the future trajectory of tropical storms. The consensus is clear: climate change poses a critical threat to the stability of weather systems around the globe, exemplified by the unprecedented severity of storms like Hurricane Melissa.
