NASA
Powerful hurricanes are increasing in number
A warming world is affecting hurricanes as warmer waters fuel more powerful storms.
Category 4 and 5, the most powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern/Central Pacific Ocean, have doubled in number between 1960-89 to 1990-2019:
Increasing from 75 to 156 hurricanes.
Category 5, the strongest hurricanes, have increased 3 fold in number in the Atlantic and North Eastern Pacific between 1960-1989 and 1990-2019:
Increasing from 11 to 32 hurricanes.
This significant increase in the number of Category 4 and Category 5 hurricanes means damages are escalating when they hit land.
This is Mississippi 2005 showing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina’s 9 m high storm surge – almost 30 ft!
Hurricane Katrina killed over 1800 people, flooded more than 80% of New Orleans with water, up to 6 m deep in places, and caused us$125 billion’s worth of damages!
In 2017 Hurricane Maria, Harvey and Irma – 3 Category 4 hurricanes made landfall, causing damages of us$300 billion.
And 10 powerful hurricanes alone in recent years caused economic losses of almost us$700 billion.
This suggests as climate change worsens and as populations living in vulnerable regions grow, losses due to powerful hurricanes may, in coming decades, overwhelm the insurance sector and the public purse.
New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
Economic losses due to Category 4 and 5 hurricanes that made landfall in the Atlantic basin have already risen more than 4 fold! :
From us$96 billion to us$442 billion
(between 1960 – 89 and1990 – 2019)
(Values are in 2020 us$ and have been adjusted to today’s dollars using
a simple inflation-adjustment from the U.S. Consumer Price Index)
Courtesy of Steve Bowen & Colleagues/Aon
And insured losses, due to Category 4 and 5 hurricanes that hit land in the Atlantic basic, have increased 8 fold!! :
From us$20 billion to us$171 billion
(between 1960 – 1989 and 1990 – 2019)
(with inflation adjustment to us$2020 values)
Courtesy of Steve Bowen & Colleagues/Aon
The human cost, however, is far greater.
Hurricane Dorian was the most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever to make landfall.
It hit the Bahamas in 2019.
The islands were ravaged for 24 hrs with 185 mph winds, heavy rain and 7m high
or 23 ft waves.
70 people died and thousands of homes were destroyed. The region will take years to recover.
As our world warms the number and intensity of powerful hurricanes is likely to escalate with devastating consequences..