Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Increasing flash flood threat looms in Texas as heat scorches recovery zone. Click for details Chevron right

Columbus, OH

86°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

86°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Uptick in North American hurricanes since 1970s linked to human activities, US government report says

By Amanda Schmidt, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Nov 6, 2017 6:47 PM EDT | Updated Jul 1, 2019 5:17 PM EDT

Copied

The Climate Science Special Report (CSSR) was publicly released on Nov. 3 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). The report is a stand-alone report on the science relating to climate change and its physical impacts, with a focus on the United States.

The report was unveiled by 13 federal agencies and was approved for release by the White House.

The report stated that global average temperatures have increased by about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 115 years, making this period the warmest in the history of modern civilization. Human activities are the dominant cause of this global temperature rise, the report concluded, adding that there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the observational evidence.

The report addressed the role of human-caused climate change in extreme hurricanes, which has been a controversial topic due to this season's destructive storms.

"Human activities have contributed substantially to observed ocean–atmosphere variability in the Atlantic Ocean, and these changes have contributed to the observed upward trend in North Atlantic hurricane activity since the 1970s," the report reads, noting that there is medium confidence around this finding.

irma miami sea ap sunday

Waves crash over a seawall at the mouth of the Miami River from Biscayne Bay, Fla., as Hurricane Irma passes by, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

AP

There is disagreement about the relative magnitude of human influences in North Atlantic hurricane activity. However, there is broad agreement that human factors have had an impact on the observed oceanic and atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic, the report stated.

The report expects there to be continued active research on the topic in the future.

There are numerous physical processes that explain the linkages between climate change and hurricanes, according to a Scientific American article written by climate experts.

Sea level rise has contributed to the coastal flooding associated with recent major hurricanes, the article explained.

"The seemingly modest 1 foot of sea level rise off the New York City and New Jersey coast made a Sandy-like storm surge of 14 feet far more likely, and led to 25 additional square miles of flooding and several billion extra dollars of damage," the article reads.

RELATED:

Scientists explore how climate change may affect mental health
Human-induced climate change costs US economy $240B per year, study says
Experts explain how rising carbon dioxide depletes nutrients in our food

The science is also fairly conclusive on the increasing intensity of storms, with roughly eight meters per second increase in wind speed per degree Celsius of warming, according to the article.

Warmer ocean surface means more moisture is available in the atmosphere.

Unusually warm sea-surface temperatures contributed to the flooding power of both Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Hurricane Irene in 2011, according to the article.

Both the government report and article agreed that continued research is necessary in understanding the impacts of the changing climate on hurricanes.

<section><h2>Do you think that human-caused climate change played a role in this season's extreme hurricanes?</h2></section><section><h2>Yes</h2></section><section><h3>No</h3></section>

Quiz Maker - powered by Riddle</p></p>

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues

Jul. 12, 2025
Weather News

All of this cabin’s girls and 2 counselors lost in the Texas flood

Jul. 12, 2025
Weather News

President Trump visits Texas Hill Country as flood recovery continues

Jul. 11, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Thunderstorms fuel increasing flash flooding threat in Texas

15 minutes ago

Weather News

Engine fuel supply cut just before Air India jet crash, report says

15 minutes ago

Weather News

Texas Hill Country: Before, during and after the flood

51 minutes ago

AccuWeather Ready

Is your house in a flood zone? This map has the answer

22 hours ago

Severe Weather

Is the US seeing worse flooding this summer? Here’s what’s happening

1 day ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

22 hours ago

Weather News

Viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates her first birthday

1 day ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

1 day ago

Business

Samsung is looking into more AI devices potentially including earrings...

1 day ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

1 day ago

AccuWeather Weather News Uptick in North American hurricanes since 1970s linked to human activities, US government report says
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...