Climate Change and Hurricanes Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing key climate science terms, hurricane mechanics, historical storm data, and adaptation strategies based on the lecture notes.

Hurricane Ian

A September 2022 hurricane with 150 mph winds and over 10 feet of storm surge that tied as the fifth strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. and caused $112 billion in loss and damage costs.

Rapid Intensification

A process occurring when a tropical cyclone's winds increase by 35 miles per hour or more within 24 hours.

Ocean Heat Content

The amount of excess heat absorbed by oceans, which accounts for 90 percent of the warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions and set a new record in 2022.

GCC Report

A major climate report projecting that a 2 degrees Celsius global temperature increase will raise global tropical cyclone intensities by 1 to 10 percent on average and increase hurricane rainfall rates by 10 to 15 percent.

Hurricane Harvey

A slow-moving storm that unleashed over 50 inches of rain over Southeastern Texas, ranking as the second costliest storm on record at $151 billion in damages.

Attribution Studies

Scientific analyses that use a combination of historical data and modeling analysis to evaluate how a weather event would have unfolded if not for climate change.

Hurricane Katrina

The costliest storm on record, incurring $190 billion in damages.

Storm Surge

An event occurring when a hurricane pushes ocean water onshore, flooding normally dry coastline with feet of water.

Thermal Expansion

The physical process in which water expands as it warms and absorbs heat, contributing directly to global sea level rise.

Florida International University

The institution building a facility to simulate a hypothetical Cat-6 hurricane with 200 mile per hour winds and a 20-foot storm surge to test home resilience.

Climate Adaptation

The process of making structural and societal adjustments, such as designing resilient homes, to lessen the impacts of changing environmental and hurricane conditions.