AccuWeather's Melissa Constanzer breaks down the concept of rapid intensification in tropical cyclones, explaining how factors like low wind shear, extremely warm ocean waters, and high atmospheric moisture levels contribute to this sudden strengthening.

Rapid intensification refers to a significant increase in the strength of a tropical cyclone within a short period, specifically when wind speeds rise by at least 35 miles per hour in 24 hours. Hurricane Milton is cited as a recent example, having increased its wind speed by 90 miles per hour over warm Gulf waters in a single day.

The process requires specific conditions, including low wind shear, very warm ocean water, and abundant moisture. Factors such as dry air and high wind shear can inhibit intensification by disrupting the storm's structure and symmetry, making it less stable and potentially weaker.

What is rapid intensification?

This is a glimpse of Hurricane Milton's Fury last October as it came ashore on the west coast of Florida. Category 3 major hurricane. The storm will be remembered for many different reasons, but meteorologically it also stood out. Milton's rate of rapid intensification among was among the highest ever observed. Over the warm waters of the Gulf, it increased its wind by 90 miles per hour in just 24 hours. Very stunning how strong that storm became so quickly last October. And this is something we talk about more and more as waters in the ocean are so warm at this time of year. Rapid intensification is actually when you have a tropical system already developed, a tropical cyclone, and it increases by at least 30 knots or around 35 miles per hour in a 24 hour period. So this is where storms can really take off, grow in category size quite quickly, and obviously become very threatening to many that are maybe in coastlines nearby. What do you need to actually have rapid intensification? You need low wind shear, and you also need some very warm water. Often that is found this time of year. You also need an abundance of moisture too. So these are all different components that come into tropical systems. If we look at that dry air, for example, dry dust can actually erode sides of a hurricane. Hurricanes are like a top. They want to be symmetrical. They want to spin perfectly. So if we eat away one side of the storm, it's going to lead to some weakening. It won't stay as strong as it could be. The other thing that we talk about a lot is wind shear, and when we do have a lot of wind shear on a storm, instead of that top being nice, upright, and being a perfect shoot upwards, it actually tilts a little bit. Once you get a top to tilt a little bit, it can get wobbly, unstable, and even fall apart. But with most hurricanes, they just can't stay as strong when they're not vertically stacked.

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