Hurricane Otis turned from mild to monster in record time, and scientists are struggling to figure out how — and why they didn't see it coming. What happened with Otis was just plain nuts, said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy. Still, the storm didn't linger and feed on that, which would be expected in rapid intensification, Brennan said. Numerous studies have shown globally that there are more cases of rapid intensification of hurricanes than there used to be. An official definition of rapid intensification is a gain in strength of 35 mph (56 kph) in 24 hours.

Source: The Nation October 26, 2023 10:06 UTC