Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall in the Southwestern US Sunday afternoon.</li><li>The Category 4 hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical storm as of Sunday morning.</li></ul><p>Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall in the US on Sunday afternoon, spreading heavy rains across California and Arizona, and could dump more than a year's worth of rain in parts of the southwestern US this weekend. </p><p>On Sunday afternoon, the<a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIAPWSEP4+shtml/085912.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> National Hurricane Center</a> said Hilary had maximum sustained winds of around 50 mph with higher gusts. The storm is expected to continue to weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone tonight.</p><p>The hurricane warning for portions of Mexico's Baja California peninsula has been discontinued but a tropical storm warning for areas of Southern California, mainland Mexico, Catalina Island, and northern Baja California is still in effect. The latter is a first-ever for the West Coast of the US. </p><p>"Heavy rainfall associated with Hilary could produce areas of flash flooding and result in landslides over portions of the Baja California Peninsula late tonight through late Sunday," the<a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/mobile/refresh/MIATCDEP4+html/MIATCDEP4_180858.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NHC said</a>.</p>  <p>Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding is likely, the NHC said.</p><p>Heavy rainfall is expected to peak Saturday night through Sunday night. The NHC warned of large swells off the coast and storm surges, as well as the possibility of tornadoes in southeast California, western Arizona, southern Nevada, and far southwest Utah.</p><p>As of 5:00 p.m. PDT, Hilary was located about 25 miles south-southwest of Palm Springs, California.</p><p>Powerful tropical-storm-force winds are also <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_ep4+shtml/204813.shtml?mltoa34#contents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making their way over Southern California</a> and Southwest Arizona.</p><p>Hilary remains a tropical storm, the NHC reported. </p><p>Evacuation warnings and orders have been issued for parts of <a href="https://lacounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=695f0c805ba046b28c84da79bbf252dc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles County</a>, <a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/SimpleViewer/index.html?appid=d336e00909d04a669aafc10d756aea75" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Orange County,</a> <a href="https://countyofriverside.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b388075e49004e2e9c28f18cc16d7535" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Riverside County</a>, <a href="https://www.sbsun.com/2023/08/19/hurricane-hilary-evacuation-warnings-issued-for-these-san-bernardino-county-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Bernadino County</a>, and <a href="https://calexicochronicle.com/2023/08/19/hilary-calm-before-storm-sees-run-on-sand-voluntary-evacuation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imperial County</a>.</p><div type="image" title="A map of Southern California and Baja California showing the eye of the storm traveling. The eye of the storm is currently in Southern California, near Palm Springs." height="1414" width="1734" msid="102884281" hostid="261" sizebytes="96294"></div> <h2>Potential for 'multiple years' worth' of rain</h2><p><a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_ep4+shtml/145329.shtml?rainqpf#contents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rainfall</a>, particularly in areas of Southern California and Southern Nevada, is expected to reach anywhere from 4-15 inches.</p><p>Areas in Nevada including regions near Las Vegas, Tonopath, and Reno will be affected. <br /><br />"Across portions of Oregon and Idaho, rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches with local maxima to 5 inches are expected through Tuesday morning, resulting in localized, some significant, flash flooding," according to the NHC.</p><p>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California at Los Angeles, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/weather/tropical-storm-hilary-thursday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> on Wednesday that "multiple years' worth of precipitation" could potentially fall in dry regions of California. Dry areas such as Death Valley, which usually receives around 2 inches of rain, could receive double that. </p><p>NHC also forecasts a high risk — at least 70% — for <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_ep4+shtml/145329.shtml?ero#contents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flash flooding</a> near San Diego and Los Angeles on Sunday and Monday. Surrounding areas closer to Yuma and Las Vegas face moderate risks of at least 40%. </p><div type="image" title="A map of the Southwest United States depicting flood risk. Desert areas have the highest flood risk, and coastal cities in Southern California have the second highest flood risk" height="1428" width="1808" msid="102866820" hostid="261"></div><p>Hilary is the eighth named storm of the 2023 Pacific hurricane season and the third major storm to reach Category 4 this year. The last time a hurricane hit this area was 84 years ago, per CBS News.</p><h2>An unusual Southwest cyclone as the climate crisis changes storms</h2><p>This section of the country doesn't often see hurricanes and tropical storms for two reasons.</p><p>First, the wind patterns that create hurricanes usually push them out to sea instead of sending them toward the West Coast, <a href="https://12ft.io/proxy?&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scientificamerican.com%2Farticle%2Fwhy-do-hurricanes-hit-the-east-coast-of-the-u-s-but-never-the-west-coast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific American reported</a>. Second, the water temperatures in the Pacific are usually cooler than those of the Atlantic, which means they don't have enough energy to churn up a storm.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-hurricanes-why-storms-are-wetter-stronger-slower-2019-7#:~:text=Over%20the%20past%2070%20years,more%20slowly%2C%20the%20study%20showed.">climate crisis is changing hurricanes</a>, though. Scientists can't link any single storm to global warming without further analysis, but on the whole, <a href="https://www.insider.com/summer-2023-heat-wave-tracker-temperature-records-2023-5">rising global temperatures</a> are driving a trend of increasing hurricane strength (aka windspeed), since <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-causes-hurricanes-irma-harvey-jose-sahara-africa-easterly-atlantic-2017-9">cyclones feed on warm waters</a>.</p><p>Storms can also bring more rainfall now, because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, as well as a higher storm surge due to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-sea-level-rise-roads-highways-economy-solutions-resiliency-2023-2">sea-level rise</a>. </p><p>Climate change may also be slowing down the progress of cyclones, meaning they sit over an area for longer, wreaking more destruction.</p><p>There are also signs of a northward shift in Pacific cyclones, according to the <a href="https://www.c2es.org/content/hurricanes-and-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Center for Energy and Climate Solutions</a>.</p><h2>How to stay safe during a hurricane</h2><p>As Hurricane Hilary makes its way toward land, those in its path should check out the NHC's <a href="https://www.weather.gov/mhx/hurricaneprep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hurricane preparedness website</a> for how best to prepare. Even if the storm downgrades from a hurricane to a tropical storm with slower wind speeds, these extreme weather events still pose a threat to property and human life.</p><p>Some key tips the NHC advises include: Determine whether you live in an area prone to flooding. Also, check to see if you're in an evacuation zone. After that, take an assessment of your home. Being indoors is the first line of defense against extreme weather. </p><p>Does your home have any structural weaknesses that are especially vulnerable to strong winds? You may want to avoid those areas. </p><p>Since high winds can blow unsecured objects into your home, it may also be a good idea to clear things like propane tanks, bikes, or lawn furniture out of your yard. Protecting the integrity of your home may keep you safe from the worst of the storm. </p><p>These storms can also cause disruptions to your utilities, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/before.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the CDC</a>. You should do your best to have a supply kit that includes clean water, food, flashlights, batteries, government documents, and first aid materials. </p><p>Even with all these in order, you may receive orders to evacuate. To be prepared for this possibility, you should have a full tank of gas in your car, a prepped supply kit, and a radio or TV to get the latest updates on when and where it's safe to travel, per the CDC. </p>

Hurricane Hilary makes landfall in the US

<ul><li><strong>The deep depression in the Arabian Sea strengthened into a cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' on Tuesday morning and will make landfall close to Alibag, 94 kms south of Mumbai on the afternoon of June 3.</strong></li><li><strong>Landfall is when the eye of the cyclone move to land after being on the water<br /></strong></li><li><strong>A landfall often carries heavy winds, lashing rains, increasing sea level that can pose threat to people living in the neighbouring region. </strong></li></ul> The deep depression in the Arabian Sea strengthened into a cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' on Tuesday morning and will make landfall close to Alibag, 94 kms south of Mumbai on the afternoon of June 3.<br /><br />It will make landfall as a 'severe cyclonic storm' with a wind speed of 100-110 kmh gusting to 120 kmh.<br /><br />The cyclonic storm is currently located 280 km west-southwest of Panjim (Goa), 430km south-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 640 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat). <br /><br /><strong>What is Landfall? <br /></strong><br />According to the US National Hurricane Center, “A Landfall is the intersection of the center of a tropical cyclone with a coastline.” In other words, landfall is when the eye of the cyclone move to land after being on the water. This does not mean that cyclone has ‘hit the land’ or arrived. The cyclone arrives hours before the landfall bringing rainfall and dust storms.<br /><br />A landfall often carries heavy winds, lashing rains, increasing sea level that can pose threat to people living in the neighbouring region. <br /><br />Hurricane or cyclone can start losing its energy and speed after hitting the land as they get energy from the warm ocean water. However, that doesn't happen so quickly. <br /><br />Often, the cyclone can move over to land, its wind field tends to increase. Thus, it can affect a larger area than what scientists may have calculated. A larger wind field along the coast results in storms and rising ocean waves. <br /><br />SEE ALSO: <br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/cyclone-amphan-the-strongest-storm-ever-can-cause-large-scale-damage-to-structures-say-indian-authorities/articleshow/75827832.cms">Amphan, the strongest storm ever, "can cause large scale damage to structures", say Indian authorities</a>

Here’s what a cyclone making ‘landfall’ means

The Cyclonic storm ‘Fani' is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cyclone-fani-what-is-a-landfall/articleshow/69149542.cms">expected to make a landfall</a> on the Odisha coast between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Friday with a wind speed ranging up to 180 km per hour. The government is making special efforts to control the potential damages by mass evacuation of over 800,000 people. <br /><br />The name of the Cyclone ‘Fani’, pronounced as ‘Foni’ was suggested by Bangladesh. It means ‘Snake’ or ‘hood of snake’. <br /><br />The practice of naming the cyclones began when authorities found it difficult to use technical names to send warning signals to people. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has a <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/About-us/FAQs/faqs-tropical-cyclones/tropical-cyclone-naming">well-defined process to select the name </a>of each cyclone. <br /><br />India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan and Thailand send names of tropical cyclones developing in the North Indian Ocean to the regional committee. Presently, each country has suggested eight names for cyclones occurring in future. The name ‘Fani’ was decided from a list containing 64 names. <br /><br />Bangladesh also named Cyclone Ockhi that caused severe damages in Kerala. The Cyclone Titli, that hit Andhra and some parts of Odisha last year was named by Pakistan.<br /><br />India also has suggested many names including Agni, Akash, Bijli, Jal, Lehar, Megh, Sagar and Vayu.<br /><br />Here are some other names given by the eight countries : <br /><br /><br /><br />

Here’s how cyclone ‘Fani’ was named — and what it means

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Henri caused power outages and flooding after making landfall in Rhode Island on Sunday.</li><li>The National <keyword id="11911086" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="weather" source="Orion">Weather</keyword> Service downgraded it from a <keyword id="11899295" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tropical-storm" source="Orion">tropical storm</keyword> to a tropical depression.</li><li>Henri is expected to bring heavy rain and flooding as it moves east across Massachusetts through Tuesday.</li></ul><p>About <a href="https://poweroutage.us/">50,000 people across Rhode Island and Connecticut</a> are still without power after Henri made landfall as a tropical storm near Westerly, Rhode Island, on Sunday afternoon.</p><p>Henri was downgraded to a tropical depression after its maximum sustained winds dropped below 39 mph on Sunday evening.</p><p>As of 11 a.m. ET on Monday, Henri was moving east at 6 miles per hour, with winds of 30 mph, <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIAWPCAT3+shtml/231458.shtml">according to the National Hurricane Center</a>. It is 45 miles northeast of New York City and expected to move over the Atlantic by Tuesday morning. </p><div type="image" title="henri cone sunday 11pm" height="736" width="897" msid="85568379" hostid="261"></div><p>Up to 3 inches heavy rainfall are still expected across eastern Pennsylvania, southeast New York, New Jersey, Long Island, and portions of New England.</p><p>That heavy rain may keep producing flash floods across southern New England, New York City, and the area around Albany, New York.</p><div type="image" title="noaa henri rainfall" height="716" width="892" msid="85568383" hostid="261"></div><p>The NHC added that an isolated tornado or two is possible across southern New England on Monday afternoon.</p><h2>A rare New England landfall</h2><div type="image" title="Water on the beach extending way farther down the shore" height="3280" width="4928" msid="85568386" hostid="261"></div><p>Henri was upgraded to a Category 1 <keyword id="11911087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hurricane" source="Orion">hurricane</keyword> on Saturday, but deteriorated in strength Sunday morning before hitting Rhode Island.</p><p>Even though Henri made landfall as a tropical storm, not a hurricane, it nonetheless caused flash flooding <a href="https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pid=202108220721-KOKX-NWUS51-LSROKXhttps://nwschat.weather.gov/lsr/#OKX/202108202300/202108231100/0100">across New York and New Jersey</a>. Manhattan's Central Park recorded record levels of rain, with more than 4 inches between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/08/22/us/hurricane-henri-updates#emergency-declarations-are-issued-for-rhode-island-connecticut-and-new-york-as-henri-weakens">The New York Times called it</a> "the wettest hour on record for New York City."</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/08/22/us/hurricane-henri-updates#emergency-declarations-are-issued-for-rhode-island-connecticut-and-new-york-as-henri-weakens"></a>Emergency services in Newark, New Jersey, rescued more than 80 people as drivers were left stranded in flooded streets, <a href="https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1878132735702935&amp;id=5274068674422022202">local officials said</a>.</p><h2>NOAA predicts up to 13 more named storms this season</h2><div type="image" title="An unidentified man walks his dogs through a flooded parking lot in the Watch Hill section of Westerly, R.I., after Tropical Storm Henri made landfall, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021." height="2500" width="4268" msid="85568390" hostid="261"></div><p>By definition, any cyclone-shaped storm with winds faster than 39 mph is a tropical storm. Storms get named once their winds reach that speed. After winds hit 74 mph, a storm becomes a Category 1 hurricane on the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ap-hurricane-damage-as-measured-by-saffir-simpson-scale-2017-8">Saffir-Simpson</a> scale.</p><p>Henri is the year's <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/13/weather/2021-atlantic-hurricane-season-fast-facts/index.html">eighth named storm</a>; two other storms, Elsa and Grace, also became hurricanes. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with activity peaking around September 10. </p><p>The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that there will be a total of <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/atlantic-hurricane-season-shows-no-signs-of-slowing">seven to 10 hurricanes in 2021</a>, and up to 21 named storms. That includes three to five major hurricanes - meaning Category 3, 4, or 5, with winds at least 111 mph. Grace - which made landfall in Mexico as a Category 3 hurricane - has been the only major hurricane so far this year.</p><p>Overall, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/2021-hurricane-season-above-normal-number-strong-storms-2021-7">average number of storms</a> per season has increased due to climate change, so NOAA recently updated the baseline numbers it uses to make <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/average-atlantic-hurricane-season-to-reflect-more-storms">seasonal hurricane predictions</a>. The agency now defines an average season based on data from 1991 to 2010, when the average was 14 named storms, seven of which were hurricanes. Previously, NOAA considered an average season to have <a href="https://www.insider.com/2021-hurricane-season-above-normal-number-strong-storms-2021-7">12 storms in total</a>, with six being hurricanes.</p>

Henri, downgraded to a tropical depression after making landfall, is moving across New England

<br /><ul><li>Cyclone Nisarga is expected to hit the Maharashtra coast with high wind speeds between 100 to 110 kmph — and they can go upto 120 kmph. </li><li>The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red’ alert for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar where the city police has imposed Section 144 of CrPC for the next 24 hours. <br /></li></ul>The Maharashtra government on May 3 issued a list of do’s and don’ts to follow while dealing with cyclone Nisarga, which is expected to make a landfall in the afternoon near Alibaug near Mumbai today. <br /><br />Cyclone Nisarga is expected to hit the Maharashtra coast with high wind speeds between 100 to 110 kmph — and they can go upto 120 kmph. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red’ alert for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar where the city police <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/cm-defers-reopening-by-2-days-sec-144-imposed-in-city-as-storm-surge-forecast/articleshow/76165159.cms">has imposed Section 144 of CrPC for the next 24 hours. </a><br /><br />The storm is<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cyclone-nisarga-nears-maharashtra-coast-eye-visible-on-radar-10-points-2239734"> likely to impact Mumbai, Thane and other coastal districts of </a>Maharashtra like Raigad and Palghar along with Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Bhavnagar and Bharuch districts of Gujarat and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.<br /><br />Here are the things you should keep in mind when the cyclone hits the coast:<br /><strong><br />Do’s <br /></strong><ul><li><strong>Loose things outside the house should be tied or moved indoors. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Seal important documents and jewellery in a plastic bag. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Regularly inspect battery operated as well as reserve power systems. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Pay attention to the official instructions on television and radio. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Charge emergency lights, phones, and power banks. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>If you do not live in a mud house/hut, choose a part of the house as an emergency shelter and practice how all members of the house will use the space during the cyclone. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Keep an emergency kit ready. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Stay away from windows. Close some windows and keep some windows open so that the pressure is maintained. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Stay at the center of the room. Stay away from corners as debris often accumulates in corners.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>Hide under strong furniture such as a stool or heavy table or desk, and hold it tight. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Use your hands to protect your head and neck. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Avoid large roof spaces such as auditorium and shopping malls. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>If you find an open space and there is enough time, find the right shelter in the nearest pit or pasture.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>Relocate to a predetermined or administration-determined location. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Disconnect the power supply of all non-emergency equipment and tools. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Store drinking water in a clean place (jugs, bottles etc). <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Help people trapped or injured. Provide first aid, as needed. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Check for air leaks, if you smell gas or hear a leaking sound, immediately open the windows and exit the building. If possible, turn off the gas valve and report to the gas company. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Check for damage to electrical equipment, if you notice sparks, exposed wires, or burning smell of rubber, disconnect the main power supply and call an electrician. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Help those in need of special help like children, physically challenged, elderly, neighbours. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Fishermen should keep a radio set with extra batteries handy. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Fishermen should keep boats/rafts tied up in a safe place. <br /><br /></strong></li></ul><strong>Don’ts <br /><br /></strong><ul><li><strong>Do not spread or believe in rumours. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Do not attempt to drive or ride any vehicle during the cyclone. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Stay away from damaged buildings. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Do not move injured people unless it is absolutely safe to do so. It may cause more harm. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Do not allow oil and other flammable substances to spill. Clean them immediately. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Fishermen should not venture out in the sea. <br /><br /></strong></li></ul><strong><br />SEE ALSO: <br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/cyclone-nisarga-is-all-set-to-cross-maharashtra-and-gujarat-at-a-speed-of-110-kmph-mumbai-on-red-alert/slidelist/76168338.cms">Cyclone Nisarga is all set to cross Maharashtra and Gujarat at a speed of 110 kmph — Mumbai on ‘red’ alert</a><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cyclone-fani-what-is-a-landfall/articleshow/69149542.cms"><strong>Here’s what a cyclone making ‘landfall’ means</strong></a><br /><br />

Cyclone Nisarga: These are the do’s and don’ts people should follow in Mumbai, Thane, Alibaug, Surat and other affected areas

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>A week after Hurricane Harvey made landfall, devastating Texas <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/harvey-satellite-images-houston-texas-flooding-2017-8">with torrential flooding</a>, meteorologists turned their attention toward Hurricane Irma.</p><p>The storm formed off the coast of western Africa last week&#xa0;and almost immediately began barreling toward the Caribbean Sea. Irma officially became a named storm on August 30, and was classified as a hurricane on August 31. Since then, it has gained strength from the moisture of warmer Atlantic Ocean waters.</p><p>On Monday, the storm metastasized from a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-irma-atlantic-caribbean-landfall-possible-2017-8">Category 3 hurricane</a> into a Category 5 hurricane, according to the US <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Hurricane Center</a>.</p><p>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-hurricane-damage-as-measured-by-saffir-simpson-scale-2017-8">Category 5 label</a> means that parts of the storm's core have sustained wind speeds of about 175 mph. That's as powerful as a <a href="http://www.spc.noaa.gov/efscale/ef-scale.html">severe tornado</a> - which can tear off roofs, level homes, toss cars, overturn trains, and uproot large trees. There's also a risk of storm surge (the crest of water at the front of a storm that's created by powerful winds) that may reach a height of 18 feet, though surge height forecasts differ greatly from one region to the next.</p><p>"Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a powerful category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days" the NHC said in a public advisory on Tuesday&#xa0;morning. It also called Irma "an extremely dangerous" hurricane and advised that "preparations should be rushed to completion in the hurricane warning area."</p><p>Those warning areas now include the US Virgin Islands as well as&#xa0;Puerto Rico, where the storm could hit as early as Wednesday morning. The Dominican Republic, meanwhile, is under a hurricane watch; the country could get hit by tropical-storm-force winds on Wednesday evening, according to <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at1+shtml/145233.shtml?mltoa34#contents">Tuesday forecasts</a>.</p><p>Forecasters don't know yet&#xa0;whether Irma will make landfall in the US at all, let alone as such a powerful storm. But the latest computer models are not comforting - some suggest the storm could plow through many Caribbean islands and head into the Gulf of Mexico, while other models have Irma tracking up the East Coast.</p><p>Two of the most predictive models have strong agreement that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-climate-change-sea-level-rise-south-florida-mar-a-lago-2017-7">South Florida</a> and possibly the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/miami-could-disappear-climate-change-2017-7">city of Miami</a> may be in Irma's path. If this scenario plays out, tropical-storm-force winds could reach the Florida Peninsula <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at1+shtml/145233.shtml?mltoa34#contents" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">as soon as Friday evening</a>.</p><p>"It's way too early to say for sure if Irma is going to have any impacts on the United States, but anytime the forecast models are predicting a potentially strong hurricane headed northwest across the tropical Atlantic, I'd pay attention," Phil Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University who specializes in Atlantic hurricane forecasts, previously told Business Insider.</p><p><br>A combination of conditions - including a warm tropical Atlantic, a weak wind shear, and a change from drier to wetter weather - made it easy for Irma to pick up strength, according to Klotzbach. The storm could put us far ahead of the average accumulated cyclone energy (a measure of the energy of tropical cyclone systems) for this time of year, he said.</br></p><p>Michael Ventrice, a meteorological scientist at The Weather Company (the group behind the Weather Channel and Weather Underground) told Business Insider on August 31 that Irma "could be the strongest hurricane of the year."</p><p>Both CSU and The Weather Company predicted an unusually active hurricane season this year. Irma is already the fourth hurricane of 2017, though the average date of the fourth hurricane in a year is September 21. The peak of the season is around September 10.</p><p>Klotzbach said half of the season's cyclone energy usually occurs in September, meaning major hurricanes are likely still to come. On Tuesday, in fact, a tropical storm named <a href="https://twitter.com/CBS11JeffJam/status/905084230648156163" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jose formed east of Irma</a> (and could also make its way toward the Caribbean).</p><p>Big hurricanes are usually defined by their wind force, but as we saw with Harvey - which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane but caused most of its damage due to heavy rain - the number doesn't always accurately predict a storm's impact.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><div></div><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-lightning-time-lapse-noaa-2017-9">Incredible time-lapse footage shows the enormous number of lightning storms Hurricane Harvey had as it hit Texas</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Hurricane Irma is now a Category 5 storm, and could make landfall in Florida

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Thomson Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">The extensive damage to an amusement park roller coaster in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy is seen in Seaside Heights</p></div><p></p></div></div>Hurricane Sandy was a freak storm.</p><p>The massive system was the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/13/world/americas/hurricane-sandy-fast-facts/">costliest</a> storm to strike the US since Katrina.</p><p>When it made landfall four years ago on October 29, 2012, it impacted a region from <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/10/30/hurricane-sandy-ontario-quebec-maritimes_n_2042769.html">Florida to Ontario, Canada</a>, flooded the New York subway system and wreaked havoc on coastal New Jersey. The total damage to New York City was worth $19 billion and to New Jersey $29 billion.</p><p>Now, the big question is: How likely is it that a Sandy-level storm will happen again in our lifetimes?</p><p>In the past, studies have pegged Sandy as anywhere from a 100-year storm to a 1,500 year storm. That means that in any given year there's a 1/100 to 1/1,500 chance of a storm causing Sandy-level flooding.</p><p>A new paper accepted for publication in the <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016JC011679/epdf">Journal of Geophysical Research</a> October 21 offers a more precise estimate: Sandy was a 260-year storm, based on current ocean conditions. That includes tropical cyclones like Sandy as well as winter storms like northeasters, lead author Philip Orton, who studies ocean physics at the Stevens Institute of Technology, told Business Insider.</p><h2>Calling Sandy a 260-year event doesn't mean it'll take 260 years to see another storm like it.</h2><p>What that 260-year-storm label means is that in any given year there is a 1/260 chance of a Sandy-like storm flood happening. That's about the same chance that the 2016 presidential election will end in a tie, <a href="http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/?ex_cid=rrpromo">according to the website Fivethirtyeight</a>.</p><p>To get this result, Orton fed data on past storms into a flood model of the area from Maryland to Cape Cod, then simulated thousands of storms to see what kind of flooding they would cause.</p><p>Severe hurricanes in the New York City area are pretty rare, so to make sure he had enough data he dug into the histories of storms dating back to 1700. In the process, he showed that no storm has caused as much flooding as Sandy in recorded history.</p><p>Two Category 3 hurricanes, in 1788 and 1821, packed more of a wind punch than Sandy. But they were smaller and faster moving, so they caused less flooding. Sandy stands out because it remained in the area for about three days, pushing waving after unrelenting wave onto land to cause historic floods.</p><p>Orton set the model to generate results for conditions as they exist today, not accounting for future sea level changes due to climate change. The goal, he said, was to get a baseline for major flood risks in the area in the next decade</p><p>Future studies can run the same model with adjusted sea levels to see how bad things might get in our changing world.</p><p>His results, he said, show that people should take the threat of major storms like Sandy seriously, and work to protect against them in a changing world. But they also show that people shouldn't panic, and that smaller, more common floods are the more immediate concern.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/time-lapse-video-flood-dc-metro-station-2016-6">Watch time-lapse video of a massive storm flooding a DC Metro station</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="tjaGRjNDE64TynOp89p9iR57dsiXxpuy" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Hurricane Sandy was a 260-year storm - here's what that means

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Hurricane <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/hurricane-patricia-is-coming-for-mexico-2015-10">Patricia is making its way toward Mexico</a> as the strongest such storm in history - but it's technically only a Category 5.<p>Its 190-mph wind speeds are much stronger than the hurricane category scale defines; Category 5 storms are simply those above 155 mph.</p><p><a href="http://www.southernclimate.org/pages/person/hal-needham">Hal Needham</a>, a hurricane storm surge scientist at Louisiana State University, wrote a <a href="http://wxshift.com/news/blog/category-7-hurricane-patricia-threatens-western-mexico">blog on WXshift calling Patricia a Category 7</a> storm, since that's what it would be if the scale were extrapolated up.</p><p>The category of tropical storm a hurricane is in as it makes landfall actually makes a big difference on the amount of damage it could inflict.</p><p>It's <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/why-is-everyone-confused-about-hurricane-joaquin-2015-10">tough to predict what category Patricia will be</a> as it gets closer to its expected landfall in southwest Mexico. <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/hurricane-joaquin-storm-tracker-2015-10"></a>Hurricanes typically lose intensity over time, so their category usually decreases as they get closer to land.</p><p>But Patricia will likely still be a pretty big storm, considering <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/hurricane-patricia-from-space-2015-10">how big it was</a> when it formed. Needham is even predicting the storm surge could be as high as 16.5 feet.</p><p>For historical context, Hurricane Katrina <a href="http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1306/pdf/c1306_ch2_b.pdf">reached a Category 5 storm out at sea</a>, but hit New Orleans as a Category 3. Similarly, Hurricane Sandy was technically a post-tropical cyclone when it hit the East Coast, though it was a Category 3 at one point. Its storm surge reached 8 feet in parts of New Jersey.</p><p>So <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php">what do the categories mean</a>?</p><p>And what could the damage be if a hurricane were to make landfall as a tropical storm, or a Category 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - or even 7?</p>

Some people are saying Hurricane Patricia could be a Category 7 storm - here's what that means

<p class="full"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><p class="source">REUTERS/NOAA/Handout via Reuters</p><p class="caption"><keyword id="46590" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Typhoon">Typhoon</keyword> Haiyan is pictured in this NOAA satellite handout image taken November 8, 2013 at 01:57 UTC. Haiyan, potentially the strongest recorded typhoon to make landfall, slammed into the Philippines' central islands on Friday, forcing millions of people to flee to safer ground or take refuge in storm shelters.</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p><keyword id="1930738" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Super-Typhoon-Haiyan">Super Typhoon Haiyan</keyword>, which struck the Philippines on Friday, is being called the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/map-of-super-typhoon-haiyan-path-2013-11" target="_blank">strongest storm ever to make landfall</a>, and possibly the most powerful storm recorded in world history.</p>
<p>There's no doubt that Haiyan was intense. It was equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane as it churned in the western Pacific Ocean, and didn't lose much strength as it came ashore due to the lack of landforms, such as tall mountains, and other obstacles, like buildings, that would normally slow down a storm of this size.</p>
<p>But due to limitations in measuring techniques, we may never know where Haiyan truly maxed out.</p>
<p>Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons all form the same way, but their name changes depending on where they occur. The generic term for all of these storms, which must reach wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour to be classified as such, is tropical cyclone. A powerful storm that forms over the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean is called a hurricane. The same storm is called a typhoon in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. That storm becomes a super typhoon when winds hit over 150 mph.</p>
<p>The most reliable way to measure the intensity of tropical cyclones is by <a href="http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/grounders/hurricanehunters.html" target="_blank">flying directly into the storm</a> and dropping <keyword id="6359992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Weather">weather</keyword> instruments that measure pressure, humidity, temperature, wind direction, and speed as they fall, according to the <a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115518/super-typhoon-haiyan-among-strongest-ever" target="_blank">New Republic's Nate Cohn</a>. This method is used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for most <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/recon.php" target="_blank">Atlantic and eastern-Pacific-based hurricanes</a> that could pose a threat to the United States.</p>
<p>But things are done a little differently in the Western Pacific. Tropical cyclone intensity is estimated using satellite imagery, called the "<a href="http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/dvorak.html" target="_blank">Dvorak technique</a>," Cohn points out. The most immediate benefit of the Dvorak method is that is can be used where hunter hurricane aircraft either can't be used or aren't available. The downside is that it's not as precise as the data gathered by aircrafts.</p>
<p>Based on satellite estimates, Super Typhoon Haiyan made landfall with winds of 195 mph, according to <a href="http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2573" target="_blank">WunderGround's meteorologist Jeff Masters</a>.</p>
<p>That exceeds the 190 mph winds sustained by the three strongest tropical cyclones on record since 1969 (we can't rely on the measurements of tropical cyclones before that time): Hurricane Camille in 1969, Super Typhoon Tip in 1979, and Hurricane Allen in 1980.</p>
<p>All of these storms, however, were measured using hurricane hunter aircraft, while Haiyan's satellite-based estimates are of "lower confidence," says <a href="http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2573" target="_blank">Masters</a>.</p>
<p>According to Masters, we also <a href="http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2572" target="_blank">don't know the central pressure of Haiyan</a>, which is another way to measure tropical cyclone intensity.</p>

Missing Data Means We May Never Know The True Power Of Super Typhoon Haiyan

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-an-atmospheric-river-california-2017-10">Atmospheric rivers</a> are rivers of water vapors low in the Earth's atmosphere.</li><li>They can bring heavy rains or snow to parts of the US, which can lead to flooding.</li></ul><p>In late January and early February, two atmospheric rivers hit the West Coast. They dumped large amounts of rain over Southern California, causing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/life-threatening-rain-floods-mudslides-rip-through-california-2024-2">flooding and mudslides</a> and killing at least nine people, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-06/relentless-rains-continue-to-drench-southern-california">Los Angeles Times reported</a>.</p><p>"An atmospheric river is literally a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-river-in-sky-causes-floods-thousands-evacuate-2-dead-2023-3">river of water vapor</a> in the sky," Jason Cordeira, an atmospheric scientist with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, told Business Insider.</p><p>Like rivers on land, they come in different sizes and intensities, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/what-are-atmospheric-rivers"><u>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</u></a>. They can stretch over 1,245 miles long and 620 miles wide, carrying more water than a dozen <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mississippi-river-dangerously-low-second-year-in-row-army-dredging-2023-9">Mississippi Rivers</a>.</p><p>Below, we answer some FAQs about atmospheric rivers.</p><h2>1. What causes an atmospheric river?</h2><div type="image" title="An infographic showing the science behind atmospheric rivers with a big blue arrow going over water and the coast of California" height="2229" width="3248" msid="107534818" hostid="261" sizebytes="431974"></div><p>Atmospheric rivers form when moisture moves out of the tropics in narrow channels in the atmosphere.</p><p>When they make landfall and meet with large mountain ranges like the Sierra Nevadas in California, they can bring <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expensive-california-real-estate-spots-threatened-by-rain-flooding-2024-2">heavy rains</a>, snow, and flooding, Cordeira said.</p><p>"Atmospheric rivers don't form by themselves," Cordeira said. They typically develop alongside <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-bomb-cyclone-and-polar-vortex-mean-term-origin-2018-1">extratropical storms</a>.</p><p>These cyclones' cold fronts help accumulate water vapor, which the atmospheric rivers can then transport thousands of miles, Cordeira said, adding that "the east side of ocean basins or the west side of continents are really good locations for these storms."</p><p>That includes California, Oregon, and Washington in the US, as well as parts of Europe, Chile, New Zealand, and Australia. But they can affect the northeastern US too, he added.</p><p>Atmospheric rivers are so common that there are typically between eight and 10 of them over the oceans in the northern and southern<strong> </strong>hemispheres at a time, Cordeira said.</p><h2>2. Do El Niño and La Niña have an affect?</h2><p>Different weather patterns like El Niño and La Niña may make the West Coast more or less likely to see atmospheric rivers, Cordeira said, but it's not necessarily a guarantee.</p><p>For example, 2023 was a La Niña year, when atmospheric rivers are supposed to be less likely. Yet a relatively high number, 46, made landfall on the US's West Coast, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://cw3e.ucsd.edu/the-atmospheric-rivers-of-water-year-2023-end-of-water-year-summary/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a>.</p><p>"But then there are relatively dry years when very few atmospheric rivers make landfall at all," Cordeira said.</p><h2>3. How long does an atmospheric river last?</h2><p>The average lifecycle of an atmospheric river is between three to seven days, Cordeira said. What usually stops it is rain.</p><p>"Things that remove water vapor from the sky will cause an atmospheric river to die," Cordeira said.</p><div type="image" title="A large wave splashes onto a house on the coast of California during an atmospheric river" height="1500" width="2250" msid="107534820" hostid="261" sizebytes="399510"></div><p>When the rivers run into land masses with big mountains, the mountains cool the air, "and as it cools, it condenses and produces precipitation and it rings out a lot of that rainfall," Cordeira said</p><p>Once the river hits land, it usually rains itself out in about a day, he added.</p><h2>4. Is an atmospheric river like a hurricane?</h2><p>Atmospheric rivers and hurricanes have a few things in common, Cordeira said, but "the processes in the atmosphere that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-hurricanes-why-storms-are-wetter-stronger-slower-2019-7">give rise to a hurricane</a> are different than the processes that give rise to atmospheric rivers."</p><p>Both pull tropical moisture from low latitudes and bring them into higher latitudes, Cordeira said. They can both have heavy rains and high winds, but they're not directly related, he said. "Even though they share some of the same ingredients, they're distant cousins."</p><h2>5. Are atmospheric rivers a new thing?</h2><p>People who grew up in the '90s likely didn't hear much about atmospheric rivers when they were young.</p><p>The phenomenon existed, but the media often <a target="_blank" href="https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/november-30-1995-page-21-91/docview/2365532811/se-2"><u>referred</u></a> to them as a "pineapple express" — a strong atmospheric river that carried moisture from the tropics near Hawaii to the West Coast of the US.</p><p>In 1994, MIT researchers Yong Zhu and Reginald E. Newell published a <a target="_blank" href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/94GL01710"><u>paper</u></a> about "atmospheric rivers and bombs."</p><p>The term has gained widespread use <a target="_blank" href="https://cw3e.ucsd.edu/atmospheric-rivers-rising-interest-in-science-and-the-media/#:~:text=The%20term%20%E2%80%9Catmospheric%20river%E2%80%9D%20was,transport%20across%20the%20mid%2Dlatitudes"><u>in academic research</u></a> ever since.</p><div type="image" title="The atmospheric river intensity scale with the amount of moisture on the left and duration along the bottom and red squares at the top right showing high moisture and long duration are AR-5, the most hazardous" height="1192" width="2066" msid="107534822" hostid="261" sizebytes="63866"></div><p>Then, in 2019, University of California, San Diego<a target="_blank" href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019JD031205"><u> researchers went one step further and announced</u></a> a new scale for measuring the strength of atmospheric rivers, similar to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-do-hurricane-categories-mean">categories used for hurricanes</a>.</p><p>An atmospheric river gets a rating of AR-1 to AR-5 based on the amount of moisture and the duration of the event with AR-1 being the weakest and least threatening.</p><h2>6. Are there any benefits to atmospheric rivers?</h2><p>Some states depend on atmospheric rivers to prevent droughts.</p><p>"Most droughts in California and on the West Coast of the US actually occur because of a lack of atmospheric rivers making landfall," Cordeira said. The rain or snow can fill reservoirs or add snowpack to mountains.</p><h2>7. Is an atmospheric river due to climate change?</h2><p>It's difficult to attribute the severity of a single weather event to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/extreme-weather-biggest-concern-business-leaders-politicians-world-economic-forum-2024-1">the climate crisis</a>. But Cordeira said as the atmosphere and oceans warm, atmospheric rivers will likely contain more moisture.</p><p>"It will most likely be more intense, and it will be a wider storm" because of the increased moisture, he said. The moisture could fall as rain instead of snow, which means there won't be as much water <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ski-season-resorts-struggle-open-global-warming-climate-crisis-2024-1">trickling down from mountains</a> in the summer.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/world-hottest-year-ever-history-climate-crisis-2024-1">Warmer temperatures</a> could also mean frequent "families" of atmospheric rivers, where two or three events happen one after another, Cordeira said. This happened in early 2024 when two heavy rainfalls drenched Southern California.</p><p>When that happens, it increases the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-flood-prediction-save-lives-climate-change-2023-12">risk of flooding</a>, Cordeira said. Grounds already saturated with water can't absorb more moisture, and swollen rivers can overflow.</p><p>"You can imagine how serious the impacts would be if we had two or three of them back to back," he said.</p>

Atmospheric river: Definition, relationship to hurricanes, potential benefits, and more FAQs answered

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two large <a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-of-the-worst-hurricanes-hit-the-united-states-2020-5">hurricanes</a> are sandwiching the US East Coast.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-prepare-for-a-hurricane">Hurricane Idalia is about to wallop Florida</a>, and Hurricane Franklin is making dangerous Atlantic surf.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/27-best-space-station-photos-show-earth-hidden-beauty-2019-11">Astronauts on the International Space Station</a> just flew over two huge hurricanes that are troubling the US East Coast.</p><div type="image" title="satellite image of earth shows two hurricanes one in the gulf of mexico and another close by in the atlantic ocean" height="2314" width="3086" msid="103186534" hostid="261"></div><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/tropical-storm-idalia-hurricane-forecast-florida-2023-8">Hurricane Idalia is expected to strike first</a>, with meteorologists predicting a Wednesday morning landfall. It's on track to churn itself into a major Category 3 hurricane.</p><p>When its life-threatening <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-hurricane-storm-surge-why-dangerous-2020-8">storm surge</a> hits Florida, it could send a 15-foot wall of water and 110 mph winds onto the shores, devastating coastal towns, the National Hurricane Center <a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=TAE&amp;wwa=hurricane%20warning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecasts</a>. </p><p>Meanwhile, Hurricane Franklin is a Category 3 storm on its way toward the middle of the Atlantic. It's caused a tropical storm warning in Bermuda and life-threatening surf and rip currents on the US East Coast, the <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/mobile/refresh/MIATCPAT3+html/MIATCPAT3_290538.html#:~:text=SURF%3A%20Life%2Dthreatening%20surf%20and,the%20next%20couple%20of%20days." target="_blank" rel="noopener">NHC </a>reported.</p><p>Both stand out from space.</p><h2>Video shows astronauts' view as they flew over the hurricanes</h2><p>Because the hurricanes are so close together (on planetary scales), the International Space Station flew over them one after the other on Tuesday.</p><p>The resulting footage is eerie. Here's Hurricane Idalia as seen from the ISS:</p><div type="image" title="video clip shows space station solar panels slowly passing over large white hurricane on earth's curvature in space" height="220" width="390" msid="103186535" hostid="261"></div><p>Idalia already passed through Cuba, where it beat down towns still trying to stand back up after <a href="https://www.insider.com/hurricane-ian-how-to-help-victims-in-florida-cuba-2022-9">2022's Hurricane Ian</a>. Now it's beginning to flood Florida towns that Ian pummeled.</p><p>And here's what astronauts saw of Hurricane Franklin, sped up by 400%:</p><div type="image" title="sped up footage of space station solar panels passing over the eye of a giant hurricane white clouds above blue ocean" height="170" width="227" msid="103186539" hostid="261"></div><h2>Satellites spotted both storms from space too</h2><p>Satellite imagery shows both cyclones churning in the record-warm waters of the Gulf and the Atlantic.</p><div type="image" title="satellite imagery gif shows earth western hemisphere with two hurricanes one near florida gulf coast the other off us east coast" height="1808" width="1808" msid="103186540" hostid="261"></div><p>You can see the storms even better in infrared. The satellite that captured this footage is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.</p><div type="image" title="infrared satellite image of earth western hemisphere show two hurricanes rotating red orange yellow clouds near the us east coast" height="972" width="1297" msid="103186543" hostid="261"></div><p>The double-cyclone whammy comes in the middle of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which NOAA predicted will be "above normal" with up to 11 hurricanes, and two to five of them reaching Category 3 or higher. </p><p>NOAA cited "record-warm" Atlantic seas as a major reason for its season forecast. That's because cyclones feed on warm water. Hurricanes can rapidly intensify in warm seas, as Idalia is currently doing in the Gulf of Mexico.</p><p>"Hurricanes draw their energy from their oceans. And right now the Gulf of Mexico is extremely warm," Rosimar Rios-Berrios, a hurricane scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, told Insider. </p><p>That's one major reason that hurricanes are becoming more devastating due to climate change — the drastic increase of average global temperatures, caused by humans releasing heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which we do primarily by burning fossil fuels like coal and oil for energy.</p><h2>How the climate crisis makes hurricanes worse</h2><p>Rising global temperatures, and the resulting rise in ocean temperatures, are fueling a trend of stronger hurricanes (aka storms with higher sustained wind speeds).</p><p>Cyclones can also bring more rainfall due to climate change, because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture.</p><p>Storm surge — ocean water that a cyclone pushes onto the land — is often the most devastating and deadly part of a hurricane. Those waters can now creep higher and further inland due to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-sea-level-rise-roads-highways-economy-solutions-resiliency-2023-2" rel="">sea-level rise</a>, which is caused by the melting of ice sheets at Earth's poles due to rising temperatures, as well as the fact that warm water expands.</p><p>"Something that we're very concerned about is that the combination of warm ocean waters fueling bursts from hurricanes on top of rising sea levels, that could mean that in the future we're going to continue to see unfortunately, very impactful hurricanes," Rios-Berrios said. </p><p>Climate change may even be causing cyclones' centers to move through space more slowly, meaning they sit over an area for longer, wreaking more destruction.</p><p>Astronauts can see a lot of that from their vantage point 250 miles above Earth.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-astronauts-saddened-to-see-climate-crisis-wildfires-from-space-2021-8">NASA astronaut Megan McArthur previously told Insider from the ISS</a> that she could see tropical storms and even the flooding that follows them.</p><p>"Over many years, scientists around the world have been sounding this alarm bell," McArthur said. "This is a warning for the entire global community. It's going to take the entire global community to face this and to work through these challenges."</p>

You Searched For "Landfall cyclone meaning" and got 11 results

Hurricane Hilary makes landfall in the US

Chris Panella,Morgan McFall-J…

Here’s what a cyclone making ‘landfall’ means

BI India Bureau

Here’s how cyclone ‘Fani’ was named — and what it means

Preeti Soni

Henri, downgraded to a tropical depression after making landfall, is moving across New England

Aylin Woodward

Cyclone Nisarga: These are the do’s and don’ts people should follow in Mumbai, Thane, Alibaug, Surat and other affected areas

BI India Bureau

Hurricane Irma is now a Category 5 storm, and could make landfall in Florida

Dave Mosher,Kevin Loria

Hurricane Sandy was a 260-year storm - here's what that means

Rafi Letzter

Some people are saying Hurricane Patricia could be a Category 7 storm - here's what that means

Rebecca Harrington

Missing Data Means We May Never Know The True Power Of Super Typhoon Haiyan

Dina Spector

Atmospheric river: Definition, relationship to hurricanes, potential benefits, and more FAQs answered

Jenny McGrath

Space imagery shows 2 big hurricanes menacing the US East Coast. The International Space Station just flew over both of them.

Morgan McFall-Johnsen,Maiya F…

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides