[Vision2020] Hurricane Irma Cat. 5 185 MPH & Lynas's Book "Six Degrees" Hypercanes Reference

[Ted Moffett]

Just six days ago I attended climate scientist David Goodrich's (Ph.D. in
Oceanography from Stony Brook University) presentation at the U of I
regarding his new book "A Hole in the Wind" and climate science issues.
The power of Hurricane Harvey and its relation to global warming was a
topic, thus I discussed the potential need to add a new hurricane
classification to the Saffir-Simpson scale for hurricane strength,
currently from one to five at wind speeds of 74, 96, 111, 130, and 157
maximum sustained winds.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php

I mentioned discussion of adding a level six, perhaps around 180 mph
sustained winds, especially given ongoing anthropogenic global warming
increasing hurricane strength.

I also mentioned the reference in Mark Lynas's book "Six Degrees: Our
Future on a Hotter Planet" to evidence in the paleo-climate record of
"hypercanes," storms of power beyond what we have observed in modern
times, to be worth consideration in this context.  "Six Degrees" won the
Royal Science Society science book of the year award.  This is one of the
most prestigious scientific organizations on the planet, going back to
Isaac Newton.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/jun/17/news.science
https://royalsociety.org/

Within a few days of this discussion, Hurricane Irma in the Atlatnic
reached sustained wind speeds of 185 mph, and some sources are calling it
the most powerful hurricane in the open Atlantic in the instrumental record:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/05/548606014/category-5-hurricane-irma-brings-175-mph-winds-to-bear-on-caribbean-islands
>From npr website above:
"With maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, Irma is a Category 5
<http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT1+shtml/051147.shtml> — the
most serious type of major hurricane on the Saffir-Sampson wind scale."
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Shall we label Hurricane Irma a category 6?  Unofficially, of course...

Mention of "hypercanes" from Lynas's book "Six Degrees" below:
http://climateandcapitalism.com/2007/02/06/climate-change-doesnt-scare-the-financial-post/

>From website above:

While Corcoran was declaring his lack of fear, Mark Lynas, author of *High
Tide* and *Six Degrees*, explained in a UK newspaper what such temperature
increases might mean:

-*“+6.4°: Most of life is exterminated*: Warming seas lead to the possible
release of methane hydrates trapped in sub-oceanic sediments: methane
fireballs tear across the sky, causing further warming. The oceans lose
their oxygen and turn stagnant, releasing poisonous hydrogen sulphide gas
and destroying the ozone layer. Deserts extend almost to the Arctic.
“Hypercanes” (hurricanes of unimaginable ferocity) circumnavigate the
globe, causing flash floods which strip the land of soil. Humanity reduced
to a few survivors eking out a living in polar refuges. Most of life on
Earth has been snuffed out, as temperatures rise higher than for hundreds
of millions of years.” [The Independent, February 3, 2007]
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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
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