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🗞️ Driving the news: Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, causing widespread devastation and becoming one of the deadliest storms in recent U.S. history
• This marks the eighth Category 4 or 5 hurricane in the U.S. in the last eight years, equaling the total from the previous 57 years

🔭 The context: Climate change is intensifying hurricanes like Helene by increasing sea surface temperatures, which fuel storms
• Rising ocean temperatures and higher atmospheric moisture levels result in stronger storms with heavier rainfall and more severe storm surges

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Rapidly intensifying storms, exacerbated by climate change, are becoming more common, leading to more destruction and making coastal areas increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather

⏭️ What's next: With two months left in the hurricane season, experts warn that the trend of stronger, more unpredictable storms will continue, driven by warming oceans and rising sea levels

💬 One quote: "This storm intensified very rapidly... and that’s because of the warm waters in the Gulf that’s creating more storms reaching major category levels." — Deanne Criswell, FEMA Administrator

📈 One stat: Hurricane Helene went from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm in less than a day

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