Warm Air and Warm Oceans Power Storms Like Debby

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By Raymond Zhong, The New York Times. 

Excerpt: Tropical Storm Debby’s time back at sea on Wednesday was helping it recharge somewhat before it was expected to drift back onto the South Carolina shore overnight, according to the National Hurricane Center. The ocean provides storms like Debby with two key ingredients they need to pack a wallop: warm water and moist air. There’s plenty of moisture in the air off the Southeastern coast right now because both the seawater and the air above it have been unusually warm. The warmer the water, the more it evaporates, sending moisture into the air. And the warmer this air is, the more moisture it can take up. Bottom line: Warm seas and warm air help make for stronger storms. ...Worldwide, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere has increased by about 2 percent per decade since the early 1990s, according to a study published in May.... 

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