Describe hurricanes, including what fuels them, and discuss how global warming/climate change impacts these tropical weather events.

The term hurricane or hurricanes refers to very strong tropical cyclones or storms that reach categories 1,2,3,4 and 5 of the Saffir Simpson scale. They are characterized by having an eye or vacuum vortex in the center where the winds rotate. These vortices are visible from great heights of the atmosphere, through satellites.

Hurricanes are formed by the accumulation of thunderstorms that travel over warm ocean waters.  When the warm air of the storm and the ocean surface combine, they begin to rise in the form of eddies. This generates low pressure on the surface of the ocean.  Winds that circulate in opposite directions cause the storm to begin to spin. The warm air rise causes the pressure to decrease at a higher altitude.  The storm turns due to the rotation of the Earth and the energy of the hot ocean water increases the speed of the winds. This is how the storm is strengthening.  To finally be considered a hurricane it has to reach 119km / hour.

In the scientific community there are some disagreements about whether climate change will cause the increase or decrease of the total number of hurricanes globally. But, as regards the impacts produced, there is no doubt: higher ocean temperatures and rising sea levels play an important role. In fact, as already mentioned, warm water is the engine that drives the hurricane process. Given climate change and rising ocean temperatures, the hotter the water, the more likely it is that the wind speed of tropical cyclones will intensify.

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