Scientists warn of dangerous phenomenon as hurricane season begins: 'Getting more intense'
With hurricane season now underway, weather forecasters are closely monitoring tropical waves, as they are often the starting point for dangerous storms.
USA Today reported on how technological improvements in weather forecasting over the past two decades have allowed scientists to better track tropical waves.
These waves are actually low-pressure weather patterns found in the atmosphere that typically start by moving across the Atlantic Ocean. On their own, the waves are fairly insignificant, and most have little effect on the United States beyond impacting some thunderstorms and wind intensity in Florida.
Strong waves, however, especially those from the African coast, can have a major impact on the weather in the U.S. and elsewhere.
"Most of the hurricanes that get strongest originate from tropical waves," Chris Landsea of the National Hurricane Center said, per USA Today. In fact, about 85% of hurricanes labeled Category 3 or higher started in tropical waves off the African coast.
This makes tropical waves especially important to monitor this time of year, as the Atlantic hurricane season began June 1.
As with other weather phenomena, tropical waves have changed along with the climate. Last year, for example, a tropical wave pushed farther north than normal, leading to heavy flooding in the Sahara Desert.
"All the entire tropical atmosphere is changing," said Kelly Núñez, assistant professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M, per USA Today. "Tropical waves are getting more intense with the changing climate."
As more polluting, heat-trapping gases are released into the environment, more extreme weather events become commonplace. One expert has even compared a warming climate to "basically steroids for weather."
Particularly with hurricanes, stronger storms have occurred with greater frequency. Research shows that the rate of major hurricanes — those labeled at least a Category 3 — has doubled since 1980.
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The best way to deal with hurricanes is to be prepared well before any storm hits.
If the power grid goes down, for example, having solar panels alongside battery storage can provide low-cost energy, even if others are dealing with extended outages. EnergySage's free service allows homeowners to compare quotes from local, vetted solar installers and save up to $10,000 on installation costs.
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To be even further prepared for hurricanes or any other extreme weather, have an emergency survival kit and an evacuation plan handy.
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