The warnings began arriving by telegram. A fierce hurricane had just swung around the western tip of Cuba and was heading for Tampa, Florida.
It's been more than 100 years since a storm this fierce has hit Tampa, but given the climatic trends, storms that once registered as once-in-a-lifetime events are going to be happening a lot more frequently.
Jill Trepanier, a professor of geography, found that as waters have gotten warmer, the intensity of these storms has increased. Thirty years ago, a typical 30-year event in Tampa was a Category 3, now it's inching toward Category 4.
Each increase in Saffir-Simpson category corresponds to an exponential increase in energy. A Category 4 will cause severe damage with loss of most roof structure, while a Category 3 can result in major damage.
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