Oceans soak up heat. Nearly all of the excess heat being generated by climate change is captured by oceans, where it is held in water a few hundred feet from the surface. Hurricanes need 80F° water for fuel. But as Hurricane Ian blew across western Cuba, it entered waters with some of the warmest sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic, allowing Ian to rapidly recharge as it vacuumed up energy and moisture into its vast spiraling rainbands. By the time it clobbered Cayo Costa with 155 mile per hour winds, Ian was one of the most powerful storms to hit Florida. More
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This content originally appeared on CounterPunch.org and was authored by Jeffrey St. Clair.