Recently, Hurricane Melissa roared ashore in Jamaica, leaving behind a trail of destruction that is still being tallied. The storm struck as a Category 5 hurricane, bringing winds exceeding 185 mph (295 kph), torrential rainfall, and widespread flooding that crippled power grids and cut off communities across the island.
For scientists tracking storms like Melissa, the data suggests that modern hurricanes are getting stronger and more destructive. A primary cause seems to be human-driven global warming, which is increasing ocean temperatures, providing more fuel to monstrous hurricanes in the Atlantic.
