Despite early precautions, Hurricane Melissa has ripped across the Caribbean, leaving devastation in its wake. We asked meteorologist Dr. Helen Hooker from the University of Reading what's behind the storm's record-breaking power and whether climate change is making such "superstorms" the new normal.

Dr. Helen Hooker, a meteorologist and hydrologist from the University of Reading, explained that Hurricane Melissa's rapid intensification and sustained category five status are highly unusual, particularly this late in the hurricane season. She attributes these factors to sea surface temperatures in the Caribbean being up to two degrees above normal, which has provided additional energy for the storm.

Dr. Hooker also noted that climate change is lengthening the hurricane season and increasing the amount of rainfall associated with such storms, leading to greater risks of flooding and landslides. Improved forecasting has helped communities like Jamaica prepare more effectively, but further enhancements to infrastructure and protection are needed to mitigate future impacts.

Scientists link warming seas to record hurricane strength

I'm joined now by Dr. Helen Hooker. She's a meteorologist and hydrologist specialising in research on the impacts of climate change at the University of Reading in the UK. Thanks so much for joining us, Helen. Hurricane Melissa is obviously making the history books in terms of its strength and impact. Can you tell us what's most unusual about this storm from a meteorological point of view? Yeah, sure. So I think the unusual aspects of Hurricane Melissa, I think particularly the way that it rapidly intensified. So it became extremely strong over the Atlantic and the Caribbean seas as it approached Jamaica. And actually, because it was moving extremely slowly, it enabled it to deepen very quickly. And then it sustained a category five status for a considerable amount of time, which is unusual for a hurricane this late in the hurricane season. So if we're talking about or looking at its sort of incredibly rapid intensification, is that also fuelled by warming sea surface temperatures? Yes, exactly. So we know that the Caribbean Sea at the moment is around one and a half to two degrees above what would be termed usual for this time of year. So exceptional heat in the ocean, which we know has been absorbed from our warmer climate. And this really gives the fuel to the hurricane and enables it to deepen and become incredibly strong. Is it unusual to see such a big storm this late in the year? Well, usually we have the peak of the hurricane season in September, but what we're seeing in recent years is actually the hurricane season lengthening. So we had hurricane Beryl earlier in the season, and now we have hurricane Melissa later in the season at a very high category. And in fact, the highest landfall intensity or strength ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. So apart from the warming ocean temperatures that you were just talking about, how else is climate change driving this new pattern? Well, I think climate change in particular is impacting the amount of rainfall we're now getting from hurricanes. So the warm ocean can give extra moisture, and this is drawn up into the hurricane. And with it moving quite slowly, it meant that an exceptional amount of moisture was held within the hurricane. And then as it moves over land, all of that moisture falls as rainfall, and it can now fall more heavily. So there's more intense rainfall than without climate change, which means it accumulates quickly, and then this then leads to the devastating impacts that we've seen, such as flooding and landslides. If we can talk about the path that hurricane Melissa is taking, it looks quite erratic. What factors play into how and where it travels? Yeah, so this depends on the meteorological situation kind of across a wider area. So where there are high pressures and low pressures, and these actually steer the hurricane on its track. So it's taking its kind of usual path now. So it tracked westwards across the Atlantic, and then it will turn and then travel northwards, and then it will actually go back across the Atlantic eventually as it decays. So I think this is a fairly usual pattern for hurricanes. And then the speed at which they travel can vary. And we've seen with Melissa, as it crossed and approached Jamaica, it was travelling extremely slowly. It's now moving a bit quicker, but still expected to bring further impacts to those Caribbean islands in its path. And in terms of those impacts and Melissa's behaviour, what lessons can we learn? What lessons can coastal communities in particular learn from hurricane Melissa? Well, I think hurricane Melissa was extremely well forecast. And I think islands such as Jamaica seemed incredibly well prepared in good time. And I think that's because of the improvements in the forecast, particularly of the track, where the hurricane is going to travel, which really helps to minimise impacts. Although with a hurricane of this strength, there's only so much you can do to protect infrastructure. I think lives can be saved by moving people out of harm's way. But probably, I guess, improvements to infrastructure and protection is probably what will be needed going forwards. Helen Hooker from the University of Reading. Helen, thanks so much. Thank you. Thank you.

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