Recent data shows that hurricanes are getting worse. Former U.S. climate negotiator Lia Newman (@liaandtheworld) swiftly provided information backing this claim up on her TikTok page.
Her video was made in direct response to another TikToker, who claimed that hurricanes aren't getting more severe and referenced an article with graphs on major U.S. hurricanes as proof. The second TikTok user's "proof," however, was riddled with errors.
@liaandtheworld Part 3 of fact checking @Lucy and Roger Pielke Jr. Don't let misleading articles and graphs fool you. #climate #takedown #factcheck #debunk #climatescience ♬ Epic Music(863502) - Draganov89
Newman discussed two major problems with the supposed evidence.
"So, two points here," Newman said. "The first point is that the science doesn't actually say that hurricanes or tropical cyclones are increasing in frequency … it's saying that they are more intense. They're bigger, they're wetter, they're stronger, they're more dangerous."
Journalist and climate investor Molly Wood has said that rising global temperatures are "basically steroids for weather," making hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires much more intense. According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, warmer sea surfaces can intensify a hurricane's rainfall by up to 15%. Rising sea levels also make flooding from these storms more likely, increasing damage to coastal communities.
Newman then pointed out some serious flaws in the graph.
"Second big problem here is that it only includes hurricanes that hit landfall in the U.S.," Newman continued. "So those giant Category 5 hurricanes that just happened this year, including Hurricane Melissa that devastated the Caribbean, is not gonna be included in a graph like this."
That's a glaring omission. In fact, researchers recently discovered a link between rising global temperatures and Hurricane Melissa's severity, finding that the wind speed and rainfall were both worsened by changing temperatures. Limiting one's data to only U.S. continental hurricanes skews information and, as Newman puts it, "is very misleading."
"So, knowledge is power," she concluded, "and it's always good to double click on something when it seems a bit questionable."
Commenters were grateful for her debunking efforts.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Which of these savings plans for rooftop solar panels would be most appealing for you?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Save $1,000 this year 💸 One exclaimed, "Keep calling them out!"
"Great reporting, thank you," another said.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
