<
https://theconversation.com/cyclone-freddy-was-the-most-energetic-storm-on-record-is-it-a-harbinger-of-things-to-come-201771>
"On February 4, a storm off the north-west coast of Australia was named Cyclone
Freddy. It rapidly strengthened and headed west across the Indian Ocean,
eventually causing devastation in eastern Africa. Hundreds of people died, tens
of thousands more were displaced, national energy grids were crippled, flash
flooding was widespread and socioeconomic impacts have been severe.
At its peak on February 21, Freddy had wind gusts of up to 270 km/h, making it
a category 5 storm, the highest category on the Saffir-Simpson scale used to
measure cyclone intensity. The following day, Freddy was upgraded further to a
“very intense tropical cyclone”, which is science-speak for “off the chart”.
Freddy was the most energetic storm on record. It also went through the most
cycles of weakening and re-intensifying, and may have been the longest-lived
cyclone in history.
So was this megastorm a one-off event, or a harbinger of the global
warming–fuelled cyclones of the future? And, either way, what does it tell us
about preparing for what lies ahead?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
