2020 Hurricane Season

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was predicted to be more active than normal due to warmer-than-average water temperatures in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and ENSO-neutral conditions. While climate change may not increase hurricane frequency, it is linked to a 25-30% increase in Category 4 and 5 storms per degree Celsius of warming, more rapid intensification, increased rainfall, and higher storm surges driven by rising sea levels.

• Forecasters from NOAA and other experts predicted a more active than normal hurricane season for 2020, driven by warmer-than-average water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, as well as predicted ENSO-neutral conditions which reduce the vertical windshear that typically disrupts hurricane formation.
• Climate change is increasing the intensity of hurricanes rather than their frequency; specifically, the proportion of Category 4 and 5 storms has risen by 25-30% for every degree Celsius of warming.
• Global warming contributes to more rapid intensification of storms—defined as a wind speed increase of at least 35 mph within 24 hours—which increases damage potential because hurricane damage increases logarithmically with wind speed.
• Rising global temperatures increase hurricane rainfall because warmer air holds more moisture, with a 4% increase in water capacity for every 1°F rise in temperature.
• Sea level rise, which has already reached almost one foot above pre-industrial levels, exacerbates storm surges, which are responsible for 50% of all hurricane fatalities in the U.S.

APA

Climate Central (2020). 2020 Hurricane Season. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-hurricane-season

Chicago

Climate Central. 2020 Hurricane Season. 2020. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-hurricane-season.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=2020 Hurricane Season |date=1 June 2020 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-hurricane-season |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral20202020, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{2020 Hurricane Season}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2020-hurricane-season}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }