“It is very likely that there are more Category 5 storms now than there were 40 years ago,” Kossin told CNN. Rapid intensification has been happening more and more as storms are approaching landfall, making them harder to prepare for. Hurricane Idalia rapidly intensified by 55 mph in 24 hours before landfall along Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane late last month. “There is little doubt that the exceptionally warm ocean waters we’re seeing have a human fingerprint on them,” Kossin said. “Jova is sitting in the middle of this, and the warm water certainly fueled the rapid intensification,” he added.

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Persons: Hurricane Lee, Lee, Kevin Reed, Jim Kossin, ” Kossin, Reed, It’s, ” Reed, Hurricane Idalia, John Kaplan, Jova Organizations: CNN, Hurricane, North Atlantic, Stony Brook, University of Wisconsin, Street Foundation, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration Locations: North, Stony, Madison, Brooklyn, North Pacific