Typhoon Mangkhut, a Category 5 storm that ravaged
the Philippines and China earlier this month, got us thinking about just how
bad typhoons and hurricanes may become if the predictions of climate scientists
continue to be proven accurate. We’ve
all seen the claims that a warmer atmosphere and warmer ocean waters will lead
to stronger storms, higher winds, greater storm surge, and more rain and
flooding. Typhoon Mangkhut and Hurricane
Florence seem consistent with those predictions, and Mangkhut may even call
into question whether a new level of storm classification will be appropriate
in the future.
