The October surprise from tropical cyclones

Hurricanes occurring in October between 2000 and 2025 were comparable in intensity to those occurring in August between 1970 and 1999

LAST year, on October 21, Hurricane Melissa formed in the Caribbean Sea from a low-pressure disturbance that had travelled across the Atlantic. In just over 48 hours, the tropical storm intensified from Category 1 to Category 5. Its development highlights how warmer oceans are contributing to more extreme storms — and more rapid intensification — later in the hurricane season.