From Tampa Bay Times:
During July, average water surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico ran nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. That’s the highest on record, according to an analysis provided by Matthew Rosencrans, the lead hurricane season outlook forecaster at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Some parts of the gulf are running hotter than that. Offshore of Tampa Bay and the Louisiana coast, for instance, sea surface temperatures are more than 5 degrees hotter than normal. (Inside Tampa Bay itself, water south of the Gandy Bridge topped out over 100 degrees on July 26.) A steamy gulf is not only taking a toll on marine life, it also means there’s more fuel available for hurricanes as the storm season enters high gear.
In the Gulf of Mexico, higher-than-normal temperature averages could be a boost for a storm to form on its own, or they could be a green light for a storm that enters into the gulf to maintain or grow its own.
There’s a general understanding in hurricane science that wind speeds are expected to increase about 5% for every 1 degree Celsius increase in tropical ocean temperature, according to Jeff Masters, a hurricane scientist formerly with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Each degree increase equates to about 50% more storm damage from heightened storm surge, higher wind and rain destruction, Masters said.
33707news.com 