The
planet has warmed significantly over the past several decades, causing changes in the environment in which extreme weather events are occurring. Some are small and inconsequential, and some -- such as increased wind shear that tears apart hurricanes, could actually be beneficial. But there can be destructive consequences.
One of the impacts that scientists are most certain of is increased rainfall amounts and rainfall intensity -- a result of warmer than normal ocean temperatures that create a warmer and more moist environment for the storm.
Kevin Trenberth, a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research,
said that climate change leads to these warmer and wetter environments and sets the stage for what can be the storms' biggest threat: heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
We saw it in Florence and Harvey and it appears we may see it again with Barry.
Sea surface temperatures in the northern Gulf of Mexico, where Barry formed and is currently strengthening, are around 87-90 degrees Fahrenheit (30-32 degrees Celsius).
These temperatures are about 2-4 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1-2.5 degrees Celsius) above average for July.
