Warming Oceans Fuel Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Melissa

On 2025-10-27, climate scientists warned that the extraordinary intensification of Hurricane Melissa, set to be one of the strongest storms to ever hit Jamaica, is likely a symptom of the rapid heating of the world's oceans due to the human-caused climate crisis.

Melissa was a tropical storm just last Saturday, but it exploded in strength to a Category 4 hurricane early on Sunday, with its winds escalating from 70 mph to 140 mph in just a day - one of the fastest intensifications on record in the Atlantic Ocean. By Monday morning, the storm had further intensified to a Category 5, with winds up to 160 mph.

Scientists say this is the fourth storm in the Atlantic this year to undergo such rapid intensification, which has been linked to the warming of the oceans. The waters in that part of the Atlantic are currently around 30°C, 2-3°C above normal, providing a vast reservoir of energy to fuel the storm's rapid development.

Climate change is fundamentally changing weather patterns, making such explosive storm intensification more common. Experts warn that the impact of these powerful hurricanes is putting lives at risk in coastal areas, as the warming oceans and rising sea levels compound the destruction.