Hurricanes stay stronger longer after landfall than in past

By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer
A new study finds that hurricanes are staying stronger longer after striking land than they did decades ago, and that means more destruction inland. Wednesday’s study blames man-made climate change for making ocean water warmer and increasing the staying power of storms. In the 1960s, a typical hurricane lost two-thirds of its power within 17 hours. Now it typically takes almost 33 hours for the storm to decay that much. It took nearly 50 hours for 2018’s Florence to lose two-thirds of its power after landfall. Scientists say a warming world means inland areas become more vulnerable to storms that just won’t quit.