PARIS: The number of tropical cyclones each year has not risen over the past four decades but their intensity has, according to international databases. Since 1980, there have been an annual average of 47 tropical cyclones according to the database agencies recognised by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and coordinated by the US Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
While that annual frequency has remained relatively constant, the intensity of the cyclones has increased between the 30 years from 1981 to 2010 and the last decade. Their average maximum speed wind speed has increased to 192 from 182 kilometres per hour, a five-per cent increase. Between 1981 and 2010, around one in 10 tropical cyclones surpassed 250 kph. That is a 40-per cent increase in the number of the most devastating, category five cyclones on the Saffir-Simpson scale. These figures support the conclusions of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which show that climate change is expected to increase the number of category four and five cyclones. — AFP
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