How climate change is helping storms like Hurricane Ian intensify more rapidly

As Hurricane Ian roared towards Florida, it experienced a phenomenon known as rapid intensification — getting very strong, very fast. Scientists say the process of hurricanes rapidly intensifying is becoming more frequent, and is connected to the impact of human-caused climate change.

Early Tuesday morning Hurricane Ian intensified into a major Category 3 storm, packing sustained winds of around 125 mph, before hitting western Cuba. The hurricane was expected to continue strengthening as it passed over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on the way to Florida's west coast. Some forecasters warned Ian could reach a Category 4, with top winds of around 140 mph, before making landfall in Florida on Wednesday.