Has the amount or intensity of hurricane strikes in the U.S. generally increased over the past 150 years?
Correct Answer
As detailed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, the full record of U.S. hurricane strikes actually shows "a slight negative trend beginning from 1900 or from the late 1800s." Counting only major hurricanes (Category 3, 4, 5), the trend has been generally flat for 165 years. Likewise, for as far back in time as reliable data extends, global hurricane frequency, hurricane intensity, hurricane duration, and general rainfall trends have all been level. Nevertheless, media outlets like the Washington Post, CNN, and Politico have claimed without evidence that global warming has been making hurricanes more common and/or intense. The Washington Post also accused President Trump of being "complicit" in a hurricane that occurred in 2018.
DocumentationHurricane Trends