New NOAA research looking at the devastating 2017 Atlantic hurricane season projects that should similar weather conditions occur in the future, it’s likely the number of major hurricanes (category 3 and higher) would increase by two in a similar active year at the end of century.

This increase would be driven by predicted climate warming, according to the research appearing today in Scienceoffsite link.

Last year’s six major Atlantic hurricanes included landfalling hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria that unleashed destruction on and caused loss of life in communities across Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. The three hurricanes caused an estimated $265 billion in damages during a year that shattered all records for U.S. economic losses due to severe weather.

 

Continue reading at NOAA.

Image via NOAA.