Dear Tom,
Are all of these 2005 hurricanes the result of global warming? Can we expect more seasons like this one?
Susan Bosserman
Dear Susan,
As the Earth’s atmosphere slowly warms, it is reasonable to believe the ocean surface will warm also and thereby become a more fertile breeding area for tropical cyclones.
But another powerful and probably more important factor is at work. In a landmark study in the early 1990s, hurricane researcher Dr. Christopher Landsea found that major hurricanes (winds of at least 111 m.p.h.) seem to run in alternating active and quiet periods of 25-40 years each–and a new active phase began in the middle 1990s.
Only time will tell if the record 2005 hurricane season proves to be a pattern for the future or is merely an anomaly.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
