2015 is proving to be an active year for hurricanes in the Atlantic and Pacific. So far in 2015, there have been eight “major” hurricanes, one more than at this time last year and significantly more than 2013, when there were zero major storms by the beginning of September. It is an El Niño year, causing water temperature and wind conditions similar to last year.
From Capital News Service
Liz Freedlander says
Horn Point researchers and their teammates from other labs,
are prepared to launch unmanned underwater gliders into the path
of hurricanes as they may travel up the Atlantic coastline this fall. There is an
increasing body of data that suggests that warming ocean temperatures
increase the intensity of storms and their potential for damage.
The gliders collect temperature data which is plugged into computer
models to help emergency managers prepare for high-risk scenarios for coastal
communities.