Warming heats up hurricane debate

[Doondoo]

There's little doubt in Kevin Trenberth's mind that Earth's rising temperatures are causing more intense Atlantic hurricane seasons.

However, a landmark international report on climate change authored by Trenberth and other like-minded scientists has done little to quell the debate over global warming's possible impact on the tropics. If anything, the Feb. 2 report approved in Paris by researchers from 113 countries has rekindled the argument.

The possible effect of climate change on hurricanes has been one of the most hotly disputed subjects among U.S. meteorologists for more than a decade. Only three months ago, a statement by the World Meteorological Organization said "no firm conclusion can be made."

Trenberth and scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are convinced there is a link between "an increase of intense tropical cyclone activity in the North Atlantic" and human-induced global warming.

"If there is an increase in sea-surface temperatures, there will be an increase in hurricane activity," Trenberth said. "Sea-surface temperatures have gone up because of global warming."



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