Hurricane Beryl’s rapid intensification and Category 5 winds are alarming: Here’s why more tropical storms are exploding in strength
The ConversationJUL 2024
Beryl Batters Texas, Leaves Nearly 3M Without Power
Above: A vehicle is left abandoned in floodwater on a highway after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Image copyright: Brandon Bell/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, driving hotter heat waves, bigger storm surges, more severe droughts, and heavier snowfall. Leaders must take action soon to combat climate change before extreme weather events go beyond society's ability to effectively prepare, respond, recover, and mitigate.
Narrative B
While climate change is blamed for nearly every extreme weather event, weather is influenced by many different factors that often have little to nothing to do with global warming. More research must be done before climate change can be named as the cause of these weather events.
Metaculus Prediction
There's a 50% chance that the 2˚C climate threshold will be crossed by July 2045, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
