A “Hypercane” is One Step Closer to Becoming a Reality

Rising ocean temperatures could spawn a new kind of super hurricane

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

On July 25, a buoy registered the ocean water temperatures off the coast of South Florida at 101.1 degrees (38C). This may be a new high beating the previous record of 99.7 degrees (37C) in Kuwait Bay.

Thanks to climate change, rising surface temperatures could spawn a super storm known as a “hypercane”, a hypothetical extreme tropical cyclone.

As greenhouse gases trap more energy from the sun, the oceans are absorbing more heat, resulting in an increase in sea surface temperatures and rising sea level. Changes in ocean temperatures and currents brought about by climate change will lead to alterations in climate patterns around the world. For example, warmer waters may promote the development of stronger storms in the tropics, which can cause property damage and loss of life. The impacts associated with sea level rise and stronger storm surges are especially relevant to coastal communities. — EPA

Typhoon Tip

According to Scientific American, the strongest storm ever recorded was Typhoon Tip.

Making landfall in Japan in 1979, this massive storm was so large, if it landed in the US, it would have covered an…