Warm oceans strengthened Hurricane Francine and could power more Fall storms

Associated Press

Hurricane Francine made landfall Wednesday. It rapidly strengthened over oceans that were warmer than average. Warm water helps fuel these storms, increasing evaporation and producing more rainfall. Right now, heat stored in deeper parts of the ocean is as intense as it has been in the last decade, providing good conditions for strong storms. August was a quiet period for Hurricanes but experts say that the warm water and shifting weather patterns could mean a busy rest of the Hurricane season.