Hurricane Ida turned into a monster thanks to a giant warm patch in the Gulf of Mexico – here’s what happened
- Written by Nick Shay, Professor of Oceanography, University of Miami
A computer animation reflects the temperature change as eddies spin off from the Loop Current and Gulf Stream along the U.S. Coast.As Hurricane Ida headed into the Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists was closely watching a giant, slowly swirling pool of warm water directly ahead in its path.
That warm pool, an eddy, was a warning sign. It was...