How Did Climate Change Intensify Hurricane Harvey

Tropical depression Harvey moved into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In 48 hours it went from a weak tropical depression to a major category 4 hurricane. The rapid intensity of the system led some people to wonder if climate change contributed the its strengthening. While efforts are focused on helping the city of Houston recover the question must be answered , Did climate change intensify Hurricane Harvey?

This dangerous hurricane caused many deaths around texas and the southeast, it is labeled as a major disaster and it will take houston a long time to recover. The reason Hurricane Harvey was such a disaster was caused as much by wind but the rainfall the exceeded 50 inches in some places cause horrific flooding to areas of Texas like Houston which wasn't prepared because it wasn't supposed to be hit to bad. This storm
SCientists suggest that hurricanes like harvey,irma and now maria are indications of the effect climate change is having on the ocean and how it is changing our weather. One of climate changes consequences is that the oceans are more heated because of the earth being warmer, waters around texas when harvey was reforming were around 2.7-7.2 degrees above average. This unusual warmth contributed in fueling the storm thus intensifying it from a tropical depression to a category 4 hurricane. This made the storm more powerful and what was even more stranger was that it intensified hours before hitting texas which is normally not the case. This also applies to climate change because normally hurricanes weaken that close to the coast but Harvey was not only able to keep its strength but also intensify, the reason it was able to do that was the warm waters. Scientists however were saying that the hurricane might have been stronger because it formed around peak hurricane season where conditions are right for developing tropical