Hurricane Francine struck Louisiana as a surprise Category 2 storm after rapidly intensifying just before landfall Wednesday, a characteristic of storms molded by climate change.
Powered by unusually warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, the cyclone gained 35 miles per hour in wind speed over a single day, with maximum winds approaching 100 mph as it slammed the coast.
The storm knocked out power for around 400,000 people and caused widespread flooding as it moved inland Thursday.
Francine’s swift strengthening is a phenomenon that’s happening more often as the climate warms. Research suggests that a greater proportion of Atlantic hurricanes are undergoing rapid intensification. Tropical cyclones are getting stronger in a shorter amount of time — and it’s a phenomenon that’s expected to increase as the world gets warmer.
