Hurricane Epsilon rapidly intensified on October 20 and 21, 2020, becoming a major Category 3 hurricane as it cruised northwest over the open Atlantic. On October 20, Epsilon was a 45 mph tropical storm; by early the next day, it had morphed into a Category 1 hurricane with 90 mph winds. Surprisingly, it intensified into Category 3 major hurricane with 115 mph winds by the afternoon on the same day. Epsilon had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) on the morning of October 21. The storm was located about 450 miles (725 kilometres) east-southeast of Bermuda, and was moving northwest at 14 mph (22 kph).
Epsilon is the 26th named storm to form in the 2020 season, outpacing every other hurricane season to date. Epsilon joins Laura, Teddy, and Delta as the fourth major hurricane of 2020 in the Atlantic.
According to the US National Hurricane Centre, a tropical storm watch is in effect for Bermuda, and residents have been urged to closely monitor the storm.
Large swells generated by Epsilon are already affecting Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the Leeward Islands, and are expected to cause life-mthreatening surf and rip current conditions along the coast of New England and Atlantic Canada.
According to a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), no other storms on record have even approached that rate of intensification or reached Epsilon’s strength so late in the season.
Rapid intensification is a product of warming waters in the face of climate change as a consequence of global warming. More storms are likely to undergo rapid intensification in the future, presenting predictive challenges to meteorologists.
Courtesy: The Indian Express