AccuWeather Vice President of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin and AccuWeather Climate Expert Brett Anderson discuss the top headlines related to climate change in the September 20 edition of Climate In The News.

Recent discussions highlight that climate change is not expected to significantly increase the number of hurricanes, typhoons, or cyclones, but it is likely to make the storms that do occur more intense. Studies suggest a rise in the frequency of category 4 and 5 storms, with higher wind speeds and heavier rainfall, especially as global temperatures continue to rise.

Additional impacts include increased flooding due to both higher rainfall rates and ongoing sea level rise, which amplifies the damage caused by storms. Experts also note a trend toward rapid intensification of storms, making them more dangerous and challenging to prepare for, as seen in recent examples like Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Harvey.

How is climate change affecting hurricanes, typhoons & cyclones?

Today we're focusing on hurricanes and how these powerful storms are being affected by climate change. The article, Brett from BBC, covers a wide range of ongoing observations and impacts we're seeing climate change have on hurricanes or tropical storms or typhoons as are known in other basins. Yes, exactly, and with climate change many studies have shown that the number of hurricanes, Dan, are actually not likely to change that much, pretty much flat. However, with the intensity of hurricanes we expect more storms to reach category 4, category 5 strength, perhaps a 13% increase in those storms with two degrees Celsius of warming, which is very likely to occur. Higher rainfall rates with these more extreme storms, also higher wind speeds. Obviously category 4 or 5 storms as they impact land is a significant concern if more intense storms make landfall. Probably warrants a brief discussion about what ingredients form a hurricane and how climate change has impacted those ingredients, warm water being one of the more obvious pieces needed for a hurricane to form. Yeah, we usually have tropical waves, so tropical waves basically big clusters of thunderstorms. In order to get thunderstorms we need an unstable atmosphere, enough moisture as well, but with climate warming what we're seeing is the atmosphere is a little bit too warm, well above the ground, and that's creating a more stable environment and less thunderstorms, so you don't have a thunderstorm, hardly get a hurricane. We've seen that here in the 2025 hurricane season where there's been a long period of no named storms, which is a little bit unusual during the peak of the hurricane season, so even though we may not see an increase in number of storms, the ones that do occur can be especially intense from a wind perspective. There's some studies that show that the average wind speeds may go up close to 20 miles per hour or have even done that in the last couple years, and the rain seems like a really big impact from hurricanes, right Yes, climate change made Hurricane Harvey that much more extreme, perhaps three times more than what it would have occurred many, many decades ago, and again a lot of that was due to the very slow moving Hurricane Harvey and also the increase in moisture. For every degree Celsius of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture. Yeah, that slow moving forward speed is something that is seen more often in a warming world it seems like, as well as obviously the potential for extreme rainfall that causes extreme flooding. The other significant impact is sea level rise. Obviously that rise is ongoing without any hurricanes, but when hurricanes and other storms come, that sort of really adds one more layer to the impact. Yeah, we're seeing a lot of flooding just at high tides now. Just imagine with a big hurricane moving inland. Of course, with Sandy, Sandy would not have been nearly as severe back in, say, 1950 compared to when it did occur due to sea level rise. Now, when sea level rise is a steady, steady increase, it's going to continue to increase, and so storms even weaker than Sandy could produce just as much damage, if not more, in the next couple of decades. Yeah, and I think the other interesting piece that's very concerning is the rapid intensification could occur more often when the storm goes from a tropical storm to a major hurricane very quickly. Yeah, we don't want to see that, especially when it's close to landfall. People can be prepared for a category two, and then all of a sudden, five hours later, it's gotten to category four or five. Yeah, Hurricane Michael in 2018 being one of the significant examples recently of a rapid intensifying storm. Thanks, Brett. For other information about climate and stories, you can find that at Accuweather dot com slash climate.

Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets lingered in NATO-member Estonia's airspace for several minutes on Friday, according to Estonian authorities. Italian F-35s responded.

Moscow

NATO defences triggered amid Russian airspace violation

Fellow comedians Jon Stewart and Jimmy Fallon mocked U.S. President Donald Trump Thursday after Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled off the air on Wednesday by ABC following Federal Communications Commission pressure.

New York

Late-night hosts mock Trump as outrage over Kimmel grows

International sanctions imposed on Iran before the 2015 nuclear deal, could be reinstated within days. The United Nations Security Council has voted against lifting sanctions permanently, because of the country's nuclear programme.

Tehran

Middle East Conflict

Sanctions to hit Iran again after UN vote

Washington has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of being involved in drug trafficking - a claim he denies. In recent weeks, the US military has been building up its presence in the Caribbean. Venezuela has responded by holding military drills.

Caracas

Venezuela orders three-day drills amid U.S tensions

A Republican measure to keep the government funded until Nov. 21 stumbled in the Senate after clearing the House, leaving lawmakers without a clear path forward to avoid a funding lapse at the end of the month.

Washington

Government shutdown looms after GOP funding bill fails in Senate

In suburban Chicago, tensions boiled over as authorities unleashed tear gas and pepper balls to break up a crowd that was trying to block vehicles outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building.

Chicago

Tensions boil over as protesters clash with authorities outside Chicago ICE facility

Gunfire struck the building that houses the ABC 10 TV station in Sacramento on Friday afternoon. No one was injured.

Sacramento

Gunfire strikes Sacramento ABC TV station building

President Trump signed two executive orders at the White House on Friday night. The first established the Trump Gold Card as a path to U.S. citizenship for $1 million. The second adds a $100,000 fee for skilled worker visas called H-1B worker visas.

Trump signs $1M gold card visas, adds fee for skilled workers

With Jimmy Kimmel off the air for a third straight day, the fallout is growing. Film and TV writers protested outside ABC headquarters in New York, even as President Trump warned he may go after other networks next. Nancy Cordes reports.

Fallout grows after Jimmy Kimmel taken off air

President Trump on Thursday suggested that networks should have their licenses pulled for negative coverage of him. His comments come amid ABC's suspension of Jimmy Kimmel over remarks about the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect.

Trump floats revoking TV licenses over negative coverage

State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, can hold more than 63,000 people, but on Sunday, police are anticipating more than 100,000 people will try to attend Charlie Kirk's memorial service.

Orem

Security preparations underway for Charlie Kirk memorial

Three Russian fighter planes flew into Estonian airspace, and NATO scrambled Italian, Swedish and Finnish aircraft to repel them. Russia last week sent drones into Romania and Poland, two other NATO members.

Ukraine Invasion

NATO scrambles jets to repel Russia incursions

Protesters are clashing with federal agents outside an ICE detention facility near Chicago. Video shows what appears to be tear gas being deployed and some physical altercations.

Video shows ICE protesters being dragged by agents near Chicago

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed agriculture, tech and trade during a call about potential deals on Friday (Sept. 19). Trump says he and Xi made progress on a TikTok deal.

Trump, Xi Jinping discuss trade, tech on latest call with China

An AI-generated government “minister” made its debut with an address in the Albanian parliament on Thursday (September 18), with Prime Minister Edi Rama presenting the bot as a symbol of his government’s push for transparency and innovation.

Tiranë

Rise of AI

Albania unveils AI-generated 'minister'

A spokesperson for the Taliban Foreign Ministry said the couple "violated Afghan law" and were released from prison on Friday after a court hearing but didn't say what law they were alleged to have broken.

Kabul

Taliban releases British couple held for months in Afghanistan

Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets lingered in NATO-member Estonia's airspace for several minutes on Friday, according to Estonian authorities.

Tallinn

Russian fighter jets violated Estonia's airspace, authorities say

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown that would fund the government until Nov. 21. CBS News' Nikole Killion reports.

House passes short-term spending bill to avert shutdown

ABC preempted Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after U.S President Donald Trump's appointed Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr threatened action following Kimmel's comments surrounding the killing of Charlie Kirk. Now Trump is suggesting that networks that 'only give him bad press' should have their licenses suspended.

Trump suggests revoking licenses of networks that are ‘against' him

French President Emmanuel Macron tells "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan that France's decision to recognize a Palestinian state is necessary "to isolate Hamas" and help stop the war.

Paris

Macron: Recognizing Palestinian statehood necessary 'to isolate Hamas'

U.S. President Donald Trump celebrated the suspension of talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel from the airwaves and said TV broadcasters should lose their licenses over negative coverage of his administration, adding fuel to a national debate over free speech.

Trump applauds comedian Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

A much-awaited announcement about a deal to keep Chinese-owned App TikTok online in the US is likely in the coming hours. It will be one of the main items on the agenda of a phone-call between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The two men will also discuss a standoff over trade tariffs.

Beijing

Xi, Trump set to discuss TikTok deal in Friday call

The US blocked a UN Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, drawing condemnation from members. Algeria’s UN ambassador Amar Bendjama apologized to Palestinians after the vote.

U.S. vetoes UN Gaza ceasefire resolution for sixth time

U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a joint news conference to conclude Trump’s state visit to the U.K. Trump acknowledged a disagreement with Starmer over Gaza and Palestinian statehood.

London

Trump, Starmer disagree over Palestinian state as visit wraps

A group of 22 young climate activists is suing the Trump administration in hopes of blocking three executive orders promoting the use of fossil fuels.

Missoula

Young climate activists sue Trump over fossil fuel orders

A CDC advisory panel voted to shift its guidance on immunising children under 4 with the combined measles, mumps, rubella, varicella vaccine. Instead of the combined shot, the advisory panel voted to recommend the age group get an MMR vaccine and a varicella vaccine separately.

Atlanta

CDC updates guidance on MMRV vaccine for young children

ABC confirmed that the popular late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has been "preempted indefinitely" following comments Kimmel made on the show in response to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump admin under fire after ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel show

President Trump on Thursday addressed ABC's decision to pre-empt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" over comments Kimmel made about the shooting of Charlie Kirk. CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Trump comments on Jimmy Kimmel being pulled off air

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow the president to fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. CBS News' Kelly O'Grady reports.

Trump asks Supreme Court to allow Lisa Cook firing

U.S. President Donald Trump signaled new action against left-wing groups following the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, targeting the anti-fascist Antifa movement as a "terrorist organisation."

Breakdown