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Hurricane Melissa is tearing through the Caribbean, bringing record-breaking wind and torrential rain to Jamaica—the island’s first ever category-5 landfall. What makes Melissa so alarming isn’t just its size and strength, but the speed with which it became so powerful. In a single day, it exploded from a moderate storm into a major hurricane with 170mph winds.
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Tropical cyclones, including hurricanes and typhoons, rank among the most costly natural hazards. Recent research has revealed an increasing trend in the destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the last few decades, and highlighted the fact that socioeconomically underprivileged populations are disproportionately exposed to their impacts. Simulating realistic tropical cyclones is therefore a vital ambition in weather and climate modelling.
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Tropical cyclones are among the most devastating natural hazards. Last September, category-4 Hurricane Ian became one of the most costly hurricanes on record. In Florida alone, there were 146 fatalities and tens of thousands of people displaced. Estimated losses across the Caribbean and several US states will likely exceed $110bn. Hurricane Ian (Figure 1) was an example of rapid intensification, when storm winds strengthen quickly, transforming a moderate tropical storm into a major hurricane in a single day.
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An unusual and devastating storm struck Ireland in the early hours of October 16, 2017. Record-breaking gusts of up to 119mph left 360,000 homes without electricity and, sadly, three people lost their lives. The storm continued north-eastwards, causing power outages and damage across the UK and Scandinavia over a two-day period.