Tropical cyclones spew water vapour into the stratosphere, possibly adding to global warming, according to David Romps and Zhiming Kuang of Harvard University.
By analysing 23 years of satellite pictures and tropical-cyclone tracking data, they found that the storms frequently launch clouds and ice upwards. Whereas only 3% of non-cyclone cloud in the upper troposphere reaches the stratosphere, 8% of cyclone clouds reach those heights.
Stratospheric water vapour has an important role in global warming and ozone depletion. And because global warming may alter cyclone frequency and severity, this may represent another climate-change feedback mechanism.
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Climate: Cyclones take it higher. Nature 459, 302 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/459302e
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/459302e
