How high a # might hurricanes become under global warming models?

[MoonRiver]

Another question for our DU climatologists! I suspect we might be seeing monster canes never even imagined by those who designed the current numbering system (5 being the highest).

[Sunkiss BlueStar]

1. I like that question

and not only Canes but huge sub zero Blizzards? How far south will the Blizzards go?

[phantom power]

2. I bet it's hard to predict.

I saw an interesting result published recently that shows ocean surface-spray is what allows hurricane winds to build such high speeds. The layer of droplet-filled air just about the surface forms a kind of lubricating layer. If there were no spray, atmospheric viscosity would limit hurricane winds to about 25mph.

There may be other limits on wind-speed, or who knows, maybe entirely new effects will kick in.

If you want to read a science-fictional account of what "super-hurricanes" might look like, I recommend John Barnes "Mother of Storms." In his book, additional heat energy causes hurricanes to do some very interesting and unexpected things. But that is science fiction.

98% of a hurricane's energy is expressed as rain. And most damage from hurricanes is caused by rain. So, one thing to look at is not wind speed, but increases in rainfall.