So what causes a hurricane to form? Global warming contributes to the ocean’s waters heating up, which is helpful for hurricanes to form. Moist air from warm ocean waters, which comes from warm ocean water, is also needed, and wind speeds also increase dramatically, to over a hundred miles per hour. and high wind speeds
contribute to the formation of a hurricane. An evidence, is that, “Global temperatures have risen about 0.5 degrees C since the 1970’s, sea surface temperatures in hurricane zones by about the same amount” (McQuaid). This causes the likeliness and the strength of the hurricane to go up, which results in more dangerous and strong hurricane, such as Category 5 hurricanes. They are the strongest known hurricanes, and Hurricane Patricia, which hit Mexico and some of Texas, is one example of a Category 5 hurricane. They count up to billions of dollars of destruction.
To calculate the amount of damage future hurricanes may have, climate change must be factored in, as well as data from hurricanes in the past. Take for instance, Hurricane Sandy, which affected New Jersey and New York, totalled up to 67 billion dollars in damages and losses. According to the article “Hurricane Joaquin Highlights”, since 1988, 11.9 billion dollars were used by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist in rebuilding public facilities in the stretch from North Carolina to Massachusetts. This is only a portion of the total amount paid out for assistance (“Hurricane Joaquin Highlights”).
Storm Surge has a major impact on cities that lie near the coast. It is explained it as “simply water water that is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds swirling around the storm” (“Hurricanes”). In places where the land meets the ocean, it’s especially dangerous because the water can rise over ten feet. This causes flooding, and it’s easy how you can relate flooding to global warming, because of rising sea levels. Florida, Louisiana, California, and New York are all at risk. From the article, “Sea Levels Will Swamp Miami, New Orleans: Study,” the author tells us, “New York City could be consigned to an un-livable future by the year 2085 (Sea Levels). The city of New Orleans and Miami are also in danger if we do nothing to reduce carbon emissions.
Hurricanes are the cause of damages and losses, totalling up to billions of dollars (Hurricane Joaquin Highlights). Coastal areas that are prone to hurricanes are also threatened, such as Miami and New York City. In the coming years, we are more likely to cross the path of dangerous and strong hurricanes.