Video: Interview with Hurricane Experts on Climate Change and Tropical Cyclones

[Archivist note: A video interview on climate change and tropical cyclones with Dr. Kevin Trenberth, Dr. Mike Mann, Dr. Kerry Emanuel, Dr. Josh Willis, Dr. Jeff Masters, and Mr. Bob Henson.]

We know that the warmer the ocean surface, the more moisture and heat that's available to intensify hurricanes and typhoons. 

Dr. Michael Mann

If you put more heat energy into the air, you've got more energy available to power a stronger storm.

Dr. Jeff Masters

The thermodynamic limit for this hurricane wind speed must go up as you warm the climate.

Dr. Kerry Emanuel

It's the high end events that are the most destructive historically....More than half the damage that's been done in the United States by storms dating back to the middle of the 19th century has been done essentially by just eight events. So it really is the rare events, the Katrinas, the Sandys, that do the overwhelming amount of damage.  Your average run-of-the-mill hurricane will do some damage and be memorable in the local place that if affects, but it doesn't really amount to a hill of beans compared to what the big storms do.

Dr. Kerry Emanuel