In addition to the numerous material damages, which the storm will leave Fiona on his way ? What will be its impact on the tides, on biodiversity or on coastal erosion? And, above all, can we expect to see more storms of this magnitude in the coming years? The Press discuss with experts.
Posted at 12:00 a.m.
“It’s still rare for us, this kind of major storms, so we don’t yet have any convincing statistics on their multiplication over time and their variation. But we can certainly assume that it will increase with the climate crisis, ”explains Jean-Pierre Blanchet, professor in the department of Earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM).
He adds an important clarification: with climate change, ocean water is warming more and more and, at the same time, the atmosphere is cooling. “So that could give a perfect recipe for hurricanes to be more and more intense, when there are any. This kind of storm feeds on hot water, but also on good air circulation, ”sums up the expert.
Vancouver planner Brent Toderian agrees. “People who still wonder if the climate crisis caused these extreme weather events have misunderstood, perhaps deliberately. The climate crisis, it makes all these weather events more likely, and worse. All. More likely, and worse,” he insisted on Twitter on Saturday.
After Dorian and John
the hurricane Fionaa name carried by two other tropical storms in 2010 and 2016, is reminiscent of two other major hurricanes that also hit us: Dorianwhich hit hard in New Brunswick in 2019, and Johnwhich wreaked havoc in the Atlantic in 2003.
“Three years ago, the intensity of Dorian had been less than what we see today, but the radius of action of Dorian was as large or at least similar to that of Fiona. Johnin 2003, was of comparable strength, but its area was much smaller, and it therefore did not affect as many people,” explains Environment Canada meteorologist Jean-Philippe Bégin.
According to him, Fiona could be the “strongest storm, by any measure, in 19 years”.
We can imagine that [Fiona] will upgrade John in terms of strength, but all that will have to be determined more precisely in the coming days.
Jean-Philippe Bégin, meteorologist at Environment Canada
What impact on the tides?
With an unofficial pressure recorded at Hart Island of 931.6 millibars, Fiona is “the lowest storm ever recorded in Canada”, decided very early on Saturday the Canadian Hurricane Center (CCPO). “It’s really very low. And that has a significant impact on the tides,” explains Jean-Pierre Blanchet. It illustrates the situation in a very concrete way. “It’s a bit like with a ball. When we press on both sides, it makes a bubble where we do not press. It’s the same for the ocean, ”he summarizes.
“When you bring a very low pressure, the weight of the air is very low, so it makes the water rise by suction, which raises the level substantially. With the huge waves due to the wind, and the heavy rainfall, all of this has a significant impact on the tides, ”continues Mr. Blanchet.
He estimates that Fiona marked a “truly impressive” transition from its hurricane to extratropical storm phase.
“Initially, the system often takes its energy from the warm water of the Atlantic, and as it approaches the Canadian coasts, it will feed instead on the temperature of the air, between cold air and hot air. What is special with this storm is that it gained intensity as it approached Nova Scotia, whereas normally it tends to wither away in cold waters, ”illustrates the professor. from UQAM.