Climate Change Brings More Rapidly Intensifying Hurricanes; NOAA Cuts Make Forecasting Them Harder - CleanTechnica

The article discusses the increasing threat posed by rapidly intensifying hurricanes, exemplified by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which escalated from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm within 24 hours. Rapid intensification—defined as an increase of at least 35 mph in sustained winds within a day—is now seen in 80% of major hurricanes and significantly raises the destructive potential of storms, complicating evacuation efforts and increasing casualties. Helene caused at least 176 direct deaths, making it the third-deadliest U.S. hurricane in six decades, and inflicted $79 billion in damages, ranking it as the seventh-costliest weather disaster globally. Despite accurate forecasts predicting Helene’s rapid intensification, the storm’s impact still caught many off guard. The article also highlights serious concerns about NOAA’s ability to forecast hurricanes effectively due to recent and proposed budget cuts and staffing reductions. Key degradations include fewer upper air balloon soundings critical for weather models, a 30%