Tropical Cyclones Act as 'Massive Heat Pumps' That Fuel Extreme Heat
hubie writes:
Extreme heat often follows tropical cyclones and can complicate disaster recovery even further:
Above-average temperatures almost always follow tropical cyclones - which by definition include tropical storms and hurricanes - and may soar to nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher than average, according to a new University of Arizona-led study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research. The study's authors stressed that their results are likely conservative estimates of just how high temperatures can climb following a cyclone.
Tropical cyclones often cause damage from strong winds, storm surges, intense rain and flooding, but extreme heat is an additional hazard, the researchers found. Above-average temperatures can occur days later and even in nearby areas that were not directly impacted by the storm.
[...] "Everyone's focus is on the destructive power of tropical storms and hurricanes - the storm surge, winds, flooding - and that's obviously quite substantial, but our focus is on the combined hazard of storm and subsequent heat," Guido said. "Hurricanes are massive heat pumps, redistributing heat for a large spatial distance around the center of the storm, and they leave massive destruction in their wake that can knock out the energy grid. That combination is often dangerous because it slows recovery and poses risks to human health."
[...] "We want to call attention to this as a new hazard," Guido said. "We worked with the National Weather Service in Puerto Rico, and part of the work, not discussed in the paper, was to build awareness about heat impacts. Puerto Rico has a heat awareness week from May 11 through 15, and we are working to help advance public education and establish a heat awareness day."
Journal Reference:
Zack Guidi et al. Hurricanes and Anomalous Heat in the Caribbean GRL 49 2022. DOI: 10.1029/2022GL099740
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