Category 4 & 5 Hurricanes DIRECTLY LINKED To Global Warming

[kpete]

Sea Temperature Boosts Storm Force, Says Study
By Robert Lee Hotz, Times Staff Writer
12:41 PM PST, March 16, 2006



Rising ocean temperatures have stoked the growing fury of hurricanes, according to a study made public today that intensifies a debate over the link between global warming and the ferocity of storms.

Of all the factors that drive a major storm — such as humidity, wind shear or broad air circulation patterns — only the steady increase in sea surface temperatures over the last 35 years can account for the rising strength of tempests in six ocean basins around the world, including the North Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology reported.

"This firms up the link between sea surface temperatures and hurricane intensity," said senior study author Judith Curry, an expert in climate variability who is head of Georgia Tech's School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. "It is an important piece of the global warming debate."

Their research revealed that the increase in the most severe storms — category 4 and 5 hurricanes have doubled since 1990 — was directly linked to the rising temperature of tropical oceans, which warmed globally by 1 degree Fahrenheit during the same period. Warm water vapor rising from the sea helps energize massive storms.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-0316-6hurricanes_lat,0,2481533.story?coll=la-home-world

Warming Oceans Are Fueling Stronger Hurricanes, Study Finds
John Roach
for National Geographic News



March 16, 2006
Rising ocean surface temperatures are the primary factor fueling a 35-year trend of stronger, more intense hurricanes, scientists report in a new study.

The finding backs up the results of two controversial papers published last year that linked increasing hurricane intensity to rising sea-surface temperatures, said Judith Curry, an atmospheric scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

"Global warming is sending sea-surface temperatures up, so we're looking at an increase in hurricane intensity globally," Curry said.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0316_060316_hurricanes.html




Ocean Forming At Staggering Speed That Will Split Apart Africa...
Spiegel Online | Axel Bojanowski | March 16, 2006 at 03:30 PM

Normally new rivers, seas and mountains are born in slow motion. The Afar Triangle near the Horn of Africa is another story. A new ocean is forming there with staggering speed -- at least by geological standards. Africa will eventually lose its horn.

Geologist Dereje Ayalew and his colleagues from Addis Ababa University were amazed -- and frightened. They had only just stepped out of their helicopter onto the desert plains of central Ethiopia when the ground began to shake under their feet. The pilot shouted for the scientists to get back to the helicopter. And then it happened: the Earth split open. Crevices began racing toward the researchers like a zipper opening up. After a few seconds, the ground stopped moving, and after they had recovered from their shock, Ayalew and his colleagues realized they had just witnessed history. For the first time ever, human beings were able to witness the first stages in the birth of an ocean.


http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,405947,00.html

[Oversea Visitor]

1. Which means

unless you solve roots cause to problems
Enjoy the pain.

[hatrack]

2. So why do you hate freedom & America?

:toast:

[ThoughtCriminal]

3. OK - but what does the 3rd article have to do with it?

Although it is very interesting, I don't think that plate tectonics is related.