Hurricanes and sandstorms are becoming increasingly dangerous.
Climate change is radically altering wind systems across the globe, leading to more frequent and intense sandstorms and hurricanes. These phenomena pose a growing threat to the health of millions of people.
Wind is Becoming Stronger
Research shows alarming trends. The wind speed in Atlantic hurricanes has increased by 8.3 m/s in recent years. 40 hurricanes have transitioned into higher danger categories. It has been calculated that climate change added an extra 21 km/h and 17 km/h of speed to hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, respectively.
“In a warming world, these storms will only become stronger and more destructive,” warns climatologist Ralph Toumi.
Experts emphasize: wind is an “ecological weather phenomenon” that depends both on the state of the Earth’s surface and on climate change. This means the problem will only deepen without decisive measures to protect ecosystems and reduce the rate of global warming, writes Mongabay.
Intensification of Sandstorms
Every year, 330 million people are affected by sandstorms. Over the past 5 years, 3.8 billion people have been exposed to dangerous dust concentrations—31% more than 15 years ago. Storms are increasingly occurring in regions not previously considered sources of dust threats.
The problem is that land use change and desertification are creating new sources of dust. The intensification of convective storms lifts huge masses of sand into the air. The loss of vegetation and soil degradation exacerbate the problem. “The frequency and intensity of sandstorms are increasing worldwide,” notes health expert Aaron Cohen.
