Are hurricanes strengthening more rapidly?

9/8/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Ocala readying their vehicles for departure to Louisiana.

Hurricane Laura blew up quickly as it approached the Louisiana coast, intensifying from a tropical storm to a hurricane in less than 24 hours. By the time it made land-fall, it was a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 150 mile-per-hour winds. Based on preliminary report from the National Hurricane Center, Laura gained 65 mile-per-hour winds in one 24 hour period.

What makes Storm Blow Up?

Just like a pastry chef needs all the ingredients to successfully make a cake, storm like Laura need favorable conditions to form and rapidly intensify.

Three dey ingredients help a hurricane intensify rapidly.

• Warm ocean waters.
• Ample moisture, or water content in the atmosphere, to maintain clouds.
• Low vertical wind shear.

Large scale changes in ocean temperature like the El Nino Oscillation and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, can also have an impact on hurricane activity.

As part of the SERVPRO Storm Team, SERVPRO of Ocala is ready to respond where needed to Any Size Disaster!