THE typhoon Melissa, will be etched in the memory of the people of the Caribbean – especially those in Jamaica and Haiti- as one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic.
So far, Haiti counts at least 25 dead from the incredibly destructive passage of Hurricane Melissa while in Jamaica they have not assessed the extent of the damage – and if there are any victims.
Climate change is not “responsible” for the increase in tornadoes, hurricanes and cyclones around the world, the BBC writes in a related article today (29.10.2025).
However, rising ocean temperatures combined with rising atmospheric temperatures – fueled by climate change – may make the storms that do form even more intense.
This can lead to higher wind speeds, heavier rainfall and a greater risk of flooding in coastal areas.
What are hurricanes and where do they hit?
Hurricanes are strong storms that they grow in the warm tropical waters of the oceans.
In other parts of the world, they are known as cyclones or typhoons. Collectively, these storms are referred to as “tropical cyclones.”
Tropical cyclones are characterized by very high wind speeds, heavy rainfall and thunderstorms – short term sea level rises. This often causes widespread damage and flooding.
Hurricanes can be categorized according to the maximum wind speed they sustain.
Major hurricanes are classified as Category 3 and above, meaning they reach at least 111 mph (178 km/h).
How are they formed?
Tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones begin as atmospheric disturbances – such as, for example, a tropical wave, an area of low pressure where storms and clouds develop.
As warm, moist air rises from the ocean’s surface, the winds begin to rotate. The process is linked to how the Earth’s rotation affects the winds in the tropics away from the equator.
For a hurricane to develop and continue to rotate, the sea surface should generally be at least 27 °C to provide enough energy, and the winds should not vary much with height.
If all of these factors come together, a severe hurricane can form, although the exact causes of individual storms are complex.
Have they gotten worse because of climate change?
Globally, the frequency of tropical cyclones has not increased in the last century and, in fact, their numbers may have declined – although long-term data is limited in some areas.
However, it is “probable” that a greater proportion of tropical cyclones worldwide have reached Category 3 or above in the past four decades; which means they reach the highest wind speeds, according to the UN climate agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Estimating the impact of climate change on individual tropical cyclones can be difficult due to the complexity of these storms.
However, warming can affect storms in a number of ways.
- Warmer ocean waters mean storms can pack more energy, leading to higher wind speeds.
According to a recent study, maximum hurricane wind speeds between 2019 and 2023 increased by an average of 19 mph (30 km/h) as a result of ocean warming.
- A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall.
According to one estimate, climate change made the extreme rainfall events from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 about three times more likely.
Finally, sea levels are rising, mainly due to a combination of melting glaciers and the fact that warmer water takes up more space. Local factors can also play a role. This means storms occur on top of already rising sea levels, exacerbating coastal flooding.
For example, it is estimated that flood levels from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 – one of America’s deadliest storms – were 15-60% higher than they would have been under 1900 climate conditions.
Overall, the IPCC concludes that there is “high certainty” that humans have contributed to the increase in rainfall associated with tropical cyclones, and “moderate certainty” that humans have contributed to the higher likelihood of a tropical cyclone being more intense.