Pointedly speaking, the begging question is, is climate change to
blame for the foregoing hurricanes?
Hurricanes Irma, Trika and Jose, all occurred in September, 2017.
Hurricane Irma went on record as the strongest ever perhaps, to hit the Atlantic
Ocean. It has been classified as a category 5 hurricane at its peak. Hurricane
Irma hit southern Florida, USA on Sunday, September 10 as a category 4
hurricane. In Florida, Hurricane Irma left in its trail, floodwaters, roofless
buildings and power outage. Before then it had battered the Caribbean Islands at
its peak as a category 5 hurricane.
Already, the hurricanes are being linked to climate change. Donald
Trump, the sitting America president, a climate change skeptic owns a house in
Florida, USA. Because the president’s house is sitting in Hurricane Irma’s way,
people are saying that if the hurricane hit his house he may then be jolted to review
his position on climate change.
Some without hesitation say the hurricanes are a manifestation of
climate change. However, attribution scientists are more cautious in saying
with certitude that the hurricanes are effects of climate change.
Before we know for sure whether the hurricanes are as a result of
climate change or not, let us examine how hurricanes occur:
STRUCTURE
Hurricanes are made up of two parts, structurally.
The two parts are the eye and the eye wall. The eye forms the
low-pressure calm round center of the hurricane. Air sinks into the eye to make
it calm. The eye has a diameter of 20 to 30 miles. The circular eye wall
surrounds the eye or the center. The eye wall is laden with the fiercest wind
and rain.
FORMATION
Hurricanes begin as tropical disturbances in warm ocean waters
with temperatures of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.5 degrees Celsius).
Hurricanes get their energy from warm ocean waters.
A hurricane formation starts with warm moist air rising upwards
from the surface of the ocean. As the warm air rises upwards air of lower
pressure left behind on the surface of the ocean. Air with higher pressure from
surrounding areas moves into the area of lower pressure created by the rising
warm moist air thus a continuous upward rise of warm moist air is created.
As the warm moist air continues to rise, at a point it cools off
and the water in the air forms clouds. The clouds and wind move in a circular
form and grow, fueled and fed by heat and water evaporating from the surface of
the ocean.
As the circular movement of the clouds and winds accelerates, a
center is formed. A center of low air pressure.
The center of low air pressure becomes the eye of the storm, and the remaining
part the eye wall. When the accelerating wind reaches a speed of 39 miles per
hour the storm is called tropical storm. When the wind reaches a speed of 74
miles per hour the storm is called tropical cyclone or hurricane.
Please note that the critical players in hurricane formation are heat,
water (cloud), air (wind) and pressure.
CHANGE
I ended the foregoing section by saying that critical elements in
hurricane formation are heat, water (cloud), air (wind), and pressure. If you follow
my blog, for that matter any literature on climate change, you should know that
global warming is a topical and worrying issue. Global warming is generally
accepted to be the result of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere by
the activities of man down here on planet Earth. What many do not know is that the
oceans too are getting warmer due to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere!
Global warming leads to climate change, albeit some are of the
opinion that the two terms are interchangeable. If global warming lead to
climate change, and global warming is getting our oceans warmer, could it be
that Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Trika and Hurricane Jose are a manifestation of
climate change? In other words can one attribute Hurricane Irma, Hurricane
Trika and Hurricane Jose to climate change? Another way, or a more realistic way
of looking at it is, to what extent can these hurricanes, for that matter all
tropical cyclones, be attributed to climate change?
PARTING SHOT
Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Trika and Hurricane Jose left in their
trail devastation. Devastation of life and property. Many a person are having
to start all over again from scratch due to the devastation. Our home, planet
Earth is under siege! The principles and forces of cause and effect underpins
functions of the universe. So if our only habitat is under siege ought we not
to find the cause in pursuit of a clean and balanced natural environment? A
natural environment where all the constituents live in a chemistry that results
in harmony and balance.
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