AUSTIN (KXAN) – Hurricane Helene rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm before making landfall in the Florida Panhandle last week. Forecasts accurately showed such intensification, but what qualifies as “rapid intensification”?
By definition, rapid intensification is a 35 mph increase in winds within a storm in a period of 24 hours. This has been observed in several of our most destructive U.S. hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina (2005), Hurricane Harvey (2017), and most recently, Hurricane Helene (2024).
Rapid intensification can be triggered by a sudden burst in thunderstorm activity that reconfigures the inner circulation. This can result in a drop in pressure and as associated uptick in winds.
Rapidly intensifying hurricanes are becoming more common with our changing climate. Warmer ocean waters leads to more unstable conditions and a more conductive environment for hurricane intensification.
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