El Niño winds and warm Gulf waters battle over Hurricane Isaias

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 08:55 · Archive

Hurricane Isaias approaches the US Gulf Coast as El Niño wind patterns and abnormally warm water compete to determine its strength.

Hurricane Isaias is advancing toward the US Gulf Coast as competing weather systems determine whether the storm will strengthen or weaken. El Niño, a natural warming of Pacific waters that affects global weather patterns, is creating wind shear—the pushing and distortion of storm tops and middles that prevents hurricanes from developing the circular eyewall structure needed for rapid intensification.

Counteracting this is the Gulf of Mexico's abnormally warm water. The gulf is approximately 2.7 degrees Celsius warmer than normal, with waters reaching 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach said the Atlantic hurricane season has been characterised by a continuous 'battle between shear and overall conducive conditions', with El Niño's wind patterns dominating and suppressing storm development in the Atlantic.

Climate scientist Kristina Dahl, vice president of Climate Central, stated that the elevated water temperatures are 100 to 500 times more likely to occur because of climate change from burning coal, oil and gas. The competing forces mean the hurricane's final strength will depend on which system ultimately prevails as Isaias approaches land.

How it is being reported

• El Niño's storm-killer winds and climate's warming waters in fight over future of Hurricane IsaiasA supersized El Niño’s decapitating winds and the Gulf of Mexico’s hot storm-fueling waters are battling for the core and future of land-approaching Hurricane Isaias and the storm’s tilt and eye show who’s winning.Clickorlando · 9 Oct, 05:02
• El Niño's storm-killer winds and climate's warming waters in fight over future of Hurricane IsaiasA supersized El Niño’s decapitating winds and the Gulf of Mexico’s hot storm-fueling waters are battling for the core and future of land-approaching Hurricane Isaias and the storm’s tilt and eye show who’s winning.News4Jax · 9 Oct, 05:02

In this story: Hurricane Isaias · Gulf of Mexico · El Niño · Colorado State University · Phil Klotzbach · Kristina Dahl · Climate Central

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