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Since 1979, global heat waves are moving 20% more slowly — meaning more people stay hot longer — and they are happening 67% more often, according to a study in Friday's Science Advances. The study found the highest temperatures in the heat waves are warmer than 40 years ago and the area under a heat dome is larger. From 1979 to 1983, global heat waves would last eight days on average, but by 2016 to 2020 that was up to 12 days, the study said. Eurasia was especially hit harder with longer lasting heat waves, the study said. “Those heat waves are traveling slower and so slower so that basically means that ... there's a heat wave sitting there and those heat waves could stay longer in the region," Zhang said.

Persons: Wei Zhang of, Gabriel Lau, ”, Lawrence, Michael Wehner, Zhang, Kathy Jacobs, Jennifer Francis, ” ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: Wei Zhang of Utah State University, Princeton University, North, Lawrence Berkeley, Lab, University of Arizona, Climate Research, Associated Press Locations: Eurasia, Africa, North America, Australia, AP.org

☆ Scientists say hurricanes are growing so powerful that we need to add a Category 6. Here's what that would look like.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The researchers recommend adding a Category 6 to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which currently ranks powerful tropical storms based on wind speed starting at Category 1 (74 to 95 mph) up to Category 5 (157 mph or higher). The "or higher" for Category 5 storms is where scientists take issue. Category 6 would refer to hurricanes with sustained wind speeds of at least 192 mph — about the speed that NASCAR drivers go. Jan Pleiter/Getty ImagesA strong hurricane with 192 mph winds — which would qualify as a Category 6 — isn't unheard of. In fact, since 2013, five storms have reached or surpassed that, including Hurricane Patricia, Typhoon Haiyan, and Typhoon Meranti, the researchers reported.

Persons: Samantha Lee, Saffir –, Michael Wehner, James Kossin, Jan Pleiter, Patricia, Typhoon Haiyan, Meranti, Wehner, Haiyan, Haiya, NOEL CELIS, there's Organizations: Service, Simpson, Business, Saffir, National Academy of Sciences, NASCAR, Typhoon Locations: New York, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Philippines, Samar

They propose a sixth category for storms with winds that exceed 192 miles per hour (309 kilometers per hour). Currently, storms with winds of 157 mph (252 kilometers per hour) or higher are Category 5. From time to time, experts have proposed a Category 6, especially since Typhoon Haiyan reached 195 mph wind speeds (315 kilometers per hour) over the open Pacific. Wehner said that as temperatures rise, the number of days with conditions ripe for potential Category 6 storms in the Gulf of Mexico will grow. “Perhaps I'll change my tune when a rapidly intensifying storm in the Gulf achieves a Category 6,” Corbosiero said in an email.

Persons: Michael Wehner, Brian McNoldy, Haiyan, Patricia, ”, Jim Kossin, Kossin, Wehner, Kerry Emanuel, Jamie Rhome, Simpson, McNoldy, Craig Fugate, Kristen Corbosiero, ” Corbosiero, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: National Academy of Sciences, Associated Press, Lawrence Berkley National, University of Miami, dateline, NOAA, First Street Foundation . Pacific, MIT, National Hurricane Center, Emergency Management, University of Albany Locations: Philippines, Gulf of Mexico, United States, Australia, Jalisco, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Asia, Russia, of Mexico, Caribbean, Gulf, AP.org

Powerful storms battered three disparate, far-flung corners of the planet over the weekend, but they had one thing in common: They were made stronger and wetter by climate change. The three weekend storms add to a trend of wetter storms in a warmer future, said Michael Wehner, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. With climate change making storms rainier and more intense, the weekend's extreme weather events offer a glimpse of what could become more common in the future, according to experts. As the world's oceans heat up, they provide more energy for storms, allowing them to intensify as they form. “Hurricane Fiona is a reminder that even though it has been relatively quiet, things can change and strong storms can have a really big impact,” he added.

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