Tropical storm seasons keep getting worse, and 2020 should be no different
Tropical Storm Arthur off the coast of Florida on May 16, 2020 (NASA Worldview, EOSDIS)/)Hurricane season is here. Arthur, the first named storm of 2020, swung along the North Carolina coast before heading back to sea. While officials didn’t report any major impacts, it may be just the beginning of a busy year for tropical storms. Atmospheric scientists predict that this year will be “above normal” for hurricanes, with the Weather Company projecting 18 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. “Normal,” based on a 30-year average, is 13 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.On top of it all, a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that major hurricanes have been increasing since the late 1970s. A major hurricane is one of Category 3 or higher, with wind speeds of 111 miles per hour or more, capable of ripping roofs off of...