Hey, everyone, welcome back.
You send in some seriously interesting articles about Hurricane Helene and its connection to
climate change.
And I got to say, after reading through everything, I'm kind of hooked.
Helene was a beast of a storm, breaking all sorts of records.
What I really want to get into today is how much of Helene's power was fueled by climate
change.
Yeah, it's a critical question.
And honestly, it's something scientists have been raising the alarm about for years.
We're seeing a pattern here.
Climate change is making these storms more intense.
Okay, so let's break this down.
Can we start with just how powerful Hurricane Helene really was?
Yeah.
I mean, some of the articles mention rapid intensification.
But what does that even mean in real world terms?
Okay, so imagine this.
Helene strengthens from a seemingly average tropical storm to a category for hurricane
almost overnight.
That's rapid intensification.
And it's scary because it leaves very little time to prepare.
Helene's wind speeds increased by a whopping 55 MW of increase in the same time frame.
To be classified as rapidly intensifying a hurricane only needs a 35 MW increase in
the same time frame.
So Helene wasn't messing around.
I remember hearing about the record flooding too.
Was that also tied to this rapid intensification?
It's all connected.
Helene slammed into Florida with record breaking storm surge.
We're talking about places like Cedar Key, Clearwater Beach, and St. Petersburg recording
their highest water levels ever.
The storm surge was amplified by the fact that sea levels are already elevated.
Hold on.
Higher sea levels.
How does that even work?
Think of it like filling a bathtub.
The more water you add in this case, from melting glaciers and the expansion of water
as it warms, the higher the baseline water level becomes.
So when a storm surge hits, it's starting from a higher point.
And there's less room for the ocean to absorb the excess water.
This means the surge travels further inland, causing more damage.
Okay, that makes sense.
And St. Petersburg is already a coastal city, so they're feeling the effects even more strongly.
But back to Helene for a second.
The articles mentioned it was one of the deadliest hurricanes since Katrina.
Was that just because of the flooding or were there other factors at play?
Tragically, the death toll from Helene is now over 180, surpassing even Hurricane Iain
from 2022.
While flooding was a major factor, the reasons behind such a high death toll are complex.
Part of it is the sheer force of the hurricane and its rapid intensification, which, as we
discuss, limits preparation time.
It's just heartbreaking.
You read those stories and it really hits you.
This isn't just about numbers.
It's about people's lives being upended.
And sadly, the impact of a hurricane extends far beyond its initial landfall.
We saw that with Helene's remnants causing devastating flooding in the southeast, even
hundreds of miles inland.
Right.
The flooding across Appalachia was devastating.
It's like the storm just kept on giving in the worst way possible.
So we've got a perfect storm, so to speak, of a rapidly intensifying hurricane, higher
sea levels, and then even the remnants causing major issues.
It feels like climate change is written all over this, wouldn't you say?
You're picking up what the science is putting down.
Climate change is essentially supercharging these hurricanes, making them stronger, wetter,
and more destructive.
Okay.
So let's talk about those factors.
How exactly does climate change make hurricanes more powerful?
I know there was something in the articles about ocean temperatures, right?
Exactly.
Think of a hurricane as a giant engine that thrives on heat energy.
That energy comes from warm ocean water.
So as global warming heats up the oceans, even by a degree or two.
It's like adding fuel to a fire.
Hurricanes are drawing on that extra heat and turning it into monstrous wind speeds.
So a warmer ocean equals a stronger hurricane.
It's kind of terrifying when you put it like that.
It is.
And research suggests that even a small increase in ocean temperature, like the one, two degrees
Celsius above average that Helene formed in, can significantly increase a hurricane's
intensity and destructive power.
That's a scary thought.
Speaking of scary, you mentioned hurricanes also becoming wetter because of climate change.
Is that also tied to warmer ocean temperatures?
Absolutely.
Warmer temperatures mean more water evaporates from the oceans, putting more moisture into
the atmosphere.
It's like the atmosphere becomes this giant sponge soaking up all that extra moisture.
And when that sponge gets squeezed, say by a hurricane passing through.
Like those insane amounts of rainfall and flooding like we saw with Harvey a few years
back.
Exactly.
Climate change is making both the oceans and the atmosphere warmer, creating a perfect
recipe for more intense and wetter hurricanes.
And that's what makes these storms even more dangerous now.
Okay.
I'm starting to understand the mechanics of this a bit better.
It's like we're stacking the deck against ourselves with all this extra heat and moisture.
But I do remember the articles mentioning a bit of a lull in the hurricane season this
year, despite Helene being such a monster.
What was that all about?
You're right.
There was an unusual quiet period in early September, which is typically peak hurricane
season.
Scientists believe a couple of factors were responsible for this.
One is the Saharan air layer.
I've heard of that.
It's like a giant dust cloud from the Sahara Desert, right?
Yes.
It creates those hazy skies we sometimes see.
But what's interesting is that this dry air mass can actually suppress hurricane formation.
Think of it like trying to light a campfire with wet wood.
It just won't catch.
The dry air disrupts the convection and wind patterns hurricanes need to form.
It feels like Mother Nature's way of saying, not today, hurricanes.
Yeah.
Although I guess Helene didn't get the memo.
Well, the Saharan air layer is just one piece of a complex puzzle.
Another factor was this year's unusual West African monsoon season.
Typically the monsoon brings winds from the Atlantic toward West Africa, which can sometimes
help hurricanes form.
But this year, the monsoon was wetter than usual, which shifted wind patterns and seemed
to disrupt the formation of potential hurricanes.
Wow.
So a wetter monsoon actually helped us dodge a few hurricanes.
Who knew?
It's counterintuitive.
But that seems to be the case.
But and this is important.
This lull in hurricane activity doesn't mean we're out of the woods just yet.
So the hurricane season isn't over, even with that quiet stretch in September.
Not at all.
Conditions in the Atlantic are still favorable for hurricane formation.
The waters are warm.
And we might even see La Nina conditions developing, which could further fuel storm development.
Okay.
So that's a little unnerving.
But even with all that, wasn't there another hurricane?
Kirk brewing out there around the same time.
I vaguely remember hearing about it, but it never really seemed to pose a threat.
Right.
That's a good example of how a hurricane's path can be just as important as its intensity.
Kirk actually intensified into a major hurricane, reaching category four status for a while.
But thankfully it curved away from populated areas and stayed out over the open ocean for
most of its life cycle.
So lucky break for us then.
You could say that.
But Kirk does highlight an important point.
Even if a hurricane doesn't make landfall, it can still have a significant impact.
You're thinking about the remnants of Helene, right?
Flooding across the Southeast was absolutely devastating.
Even hundreds of miles inland.
Exactly.
Helene's remnants brought torrential rainfall to parts of southern Appalachia, leading to
widespread flooding and tragically loss of life.
That's what makes Helene's story even more tragic.
I read that it's being compared to Katrina now in terms of the death toll, making it
the deadliest mainland US hurricane since 2005.
Yeah, it's a stark reminder that the human cost of these storms can be immense and often
extends far beyond the immediate impact zone.
As we mentioned before, the current death toll from Helene stands at 180 people, surpassing
Hurricane Ian from last year.
Wow.
That's heartbreaking.
And to think many of those deaths likely occurred well after the storm had passed due to flooding,
landslides, disrupted infrastructure, things you don't always think about in the immediate
aftermath.
That's a crucial point.
We need to consider the long-term consequences of these storms, which can be just as deadly
as the initial impact.
It highlights the importance of not just preparing for the storm itself, but also for the aftermath.
Okay, so we've covered a lot of ground here.
Helene's power, the role of climate change.
The quiet period that wasn't so quiet after all.
What I'm really grappling with is, what does all this mean for me?
For anyone listening?
Should we be panicking every time a storm forms in the Atlantic?
That's the million-dollar question, isn't it?
Panicking won't help, but we do need to move past complacency.
The reality is we live in a world where hurricanes are becoming more powerful, wetter, and potentially
more erratic because of climate change.
So we can't just assume we've seen the worst of it.
Exactly.
Preparedness goes beyond having emergency supplies on hand.
It's about understanding the risks, supporting policies that address climate change, and
creating a culture of resilience in our communities about asking those tough questions.
What would happen to my family, my community, if a storm like Helene were to strike again?
What systems need to be in place to keep people safe?
That makes a lot of sense.
So preparedness, but not panic.
Stay informed, but maybe take a break from the news every now and then.
And importantly, take action both individually and collectively to tackle climate change
head-on.
Is that a fair summary?
You've hit the nail on the head.
We can't just sit back and wait for the next Helene.
We have the knowledge.
We have the tools.
And hopefully we have the collective will to make a real difference.
Well said.
Now, before we wrap up, there was one last thing I found really interesting in the articles
you sent.
There seems to be some debate about the role of the Saharan dust and that unusual West
African monsoon in suppressing this year's hurricane season.
Some scientists are saying we need more research to really understand how much they impacted
things.
That's a really important point.
And it shows how science is an ongoing process.
We're constantly learning, refining our understanding of these complex systems.
And that's where you, our listeners, come in.
How so?
Given everything we've discussed today about Hurricane Helene climate change, the uncertainties
that still remain, what steps are you willing to take to prepare for a future where extreme
weather events are becoming more and more common?
It's a question worth pondering and one that I hope sparks meaningful conversations.
And who knows, maybe even inspire some action.
I love that.
It's not just about absorbing information.
It's about what we do with it.
That's a powerful point to end on, turning knowledge into action.
And what a deep dive this has been.
We've gone from the sheer force of Helene to the intricacies of climate science and finally
to the very personal question of how we face a future where these events seem more and
more likely.
It's been a fascinating journey.
And I applaud your willingness to engage with these complex issues because as we've seen,
understanding these connections is crucial, especially in the face of a change in climate.
You could agree more.
To everyone listening, thank you for joining us on this exploration of Hurricane Helene
and the larger story it tells about climate change.
Remember this deep dive might be over, but this is a conversation that needs to continue.
Stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, stay engaged.
We're all in this together.
We can create a more resilient and sustainable future.
And on that note, until next time, dive safe.