Hurricane Laura was the latest storm to strengthen fast, but is this rapid intensification really becoming more common?
- Written by Chris Slocum, Physical Scientist, NOAA and Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University
Hurricane Laura intensified quickly over the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall on Aug. 27, 2020. CSU/CIRA and NOAA/NESDIS, CC BY-NDHurricane Laura blew up quickly as it headed for the Louisiana coast, intensifying from a tropical storm to a major hurricane in less than 24 hours. By the time it made it landfall, it was a powerful Category 4...