Rapid intensification of tropical cyclones complicates forecasting and reduces lead time for government agencies and nonprofit emergency planning and response.
October 28, 2025
high
impact
Operational consequence of storms strengthening quickly, affecting preparedness and resource staging.
Warming oceans driven by increased greenhouse gas emissions increase the likelihood that tropical cyclones will undergo rapid or super-rapid intensification.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Climate science consensus linking ocean warming from greenhouse gas emissions to a higher probability of fast storm intensification.
Unusually warm upper and subsurface ocean layers provide additional heat energy that can fuel tropical cyclone intensification, and storms that intensify near coastlines pose greater risks to lives and infrastructure.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Physical mechanism by which deeper and surface ocean warmth contributes to storm strengthening and increases coastal hazard risk.
In 2025, the annual count of tropical cyclone rapid intensification events of at least 50 knots tied with 2020, 2005, and 2008 for the most 50+ knot rapid intensification events in a single year.
October 26, 2025
high
temporal
Year-to-year comparison of the frequency of tropical cyclones that intensified by 50 knots or more within 24 hours.
Slow-moving tropical cyclones can produce prolonged heavy rainfall that increases the risk of catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in affected areas.
October 25, 2025
high
temporal
Meteorological behavior of slow-moving hurricanes and tropical cyclones
Slow-moving tropical cyclones and hurricanes can produce prolonged heavy rainfall over the same area, which increases the risk of catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.
October 25, 2025
high
temporal
Meteorological behavior of slow-moving tropical cyclones and associated hazards
Warm sea surface temperatures combined with slow-moving tropical cyclones can promote rapid intensification and produce very heavy rainfall, which increases the risk of life-threatening flash flooding and landslides.
October 23, 2025
high
scientific
General meteorological principle about factors that favor hurricane intensification and related hazards.
Swells generated by tropical cyclones (including hurricanes) can propagate to distant coastal areas and create life-threatening surf and rip currents.
high
hazard
Coastal impacts from tropical cyclones
Heavy rainfall from tropical cyclones can cause flash flooding in affected coastal regions.
high
hazard
Flooding risk associated with tropical cyclone rainfall
Swells generated by tropical cyclones can reach coastlines and produce life-threatening surf and rip currents.
high
hazard
General coastal hazards associated with tropical cyclones and hurricanes.
Tropical cyclones and their remnants in the eastern Pacific can transport moisture into the U.S. Southwest and increase the risk of heavy rain and flash flooding in desert areas.
high
meteorological
Moisture from Pacific tropical systems can extend inland and affect weather conditions across the American Southwest, including desert regions.
Spaghetti models are ensemble track plots that display multiple potential storm tracks to illustrate forecast uncertainty for tropical cyclones.
high
definition
Used in meteorological forecasting to represent multiple model runs and uncertainty in storm track predictions.
In the Atlantic hurricane basin, tropical cyclones that reach sustained wind speeds of tropical-storm strength are assigned sequential names during each hurricane season.
high
process
Naming conventions are used to identify and communicate about tropical storms and hurricanes within a season.