Warming World Fuels Rapid Hurricane Expansion, Purdue Study Finds

According to a new study from Purdue University, the reason why some hurricanes are expanding faster than others is linked to our warming world. The researchers found that tropical cyclones are growing substantially in size over relatively warmer ocean waters across the major Northern Hemisphere basins.

"Tropical cyclone size strongly affects its hazards and impacts," the study authors wrote. "This study shows that observed TC size expands substantially faster over relatively warmer water." Purdue professor Dan Chavas explained the phenomenon, likening it to "popcorn heated on an uneven pan" - the hurricanes "pop" fastest over the hottest spots.

A larger hurricane has a bigger footprint of damaging winds, higher storm surge, and more rainfall, all of which pose greater risks to society. Purdue postdoctoral researcher Danyang Wang noted that "better predictions of storm size at landfall translate to better predictions of the hazards that pose risks to life and property."

The article cites several examples of major hurricanes in recent years that varied greatly in size, from the 800-mile wide Hurricane Helene in 2024 to the more compact Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Experts say our overheating planet is amplifying these extreme weather events, with climate change intensifying the majority of hurricanes from 2019 to 2024, as well as all those that formed in 2024.