Communities across the interstate 10 corridor of the U.S. Gulf Coast, throughout the Caribbean and beyond are bracing for impacts as Hurricane Sara continues to have a major effect on various places as we creep into 2024 hurricane season. The impacts of Hurricane Sara are clearly pointing to the fact that in this changing climate with changing patterns: tropical storms and hurricanes remain threats, although they may not hit as hard historically as other storms. The following is an in-depth review of Hurricane Sara, including how it developed and where it went, what happened during its impact and implications for disaster preparedness, climate change, and recovery.
Birth of Hurricane Sara
In early October 2024 Hurricane Sara was initially recognized as a tropical disturbance over the Caribbean Sea. On October 2, when the system began to exhibit a more organized and tropical depression-like structure and had possibly strengthened further, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) released its first advisory on the cyclone. The system strengthened over the following days, taking advantage of warm sea-surface temperatures and favorable conditions in the upper atmosphere, with low wind shear and high humidity.
The storm strengthened into Tropical Storm Sara by 4 October, with peak 1-min sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). That swept rapidly toward the western Caribbean, and forecasters began noting the possibility of an even stronger storm.
Sara attained hurricane intensity with maximum sustained winds greater than 74 mph (119 km/h) on October 5, gaining Category 1 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm remained over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and peaked at becoming a robust Category 2 hurricane with winds up to 110 mph (175 km/h).
Hurricane Sara, Category 1 Hurricane and the Climate Change
Although Hurricane Sara itself wasn’t a totally unique or never-before-seen type of event, it is another sign that as we shift into a changing climate, the impacts of tropical storms are intensifying. Rising sea surface temperatures are fueling increasingly strong and unpredictable storms, leading to one of the busiest hurricane seasons on record in 2024.
There is global warming that scientists have noted and this can be said to be a major factor in the increase of intensity in tropical storms. More energy for storms to strengthen comes from warmer oceans, and rising sea levels means higher storm surges. These things have all been coming together to create more dangerous hurricanes such as Sara, which means storm surge and flooding dangers for coastal communities. Meteorologists noted some storms have lasted longer and their paths were changed, posing a higher threat to areas farther inland.
Fears of climate change-fueled disasters have led many experts to demand stronger adaptation measures for coastal and low-lying areas, including improved flood control infrastructure, better building codes and enhanced early warning systems. Cutting greenhouse gas pollution will help slow the rise in those long-term risks from increasingly powerful storms.
Response and Recovery Efforts
Following Hurricane Sarah, a coordinated response from the federal government and state, local governments, as well as several non-profit organizations came to aid affected communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA for short, sent in soldiers and resources to the affected area to administer aid. Things like temporary housing, nourishment and doctors.
They were also restoring levees and flood control systems that had been damaged or overwhelmed by heavy rains and storm surge brought on by the storm. The National Guard was also deployed to the hardest-hit areas to assist search-and-rescue efforts and maintain order.
There are also other private organizations, such as American Red
