why are there so many more storms and hurricanes now than ther were 10 years ago?

Answer 1

There are natural cycles of storm activity that vary year to year.

Most experts believe that Katrina was more severe than past hurricanes due to the increased temperature of the water in the Gulf.

Many experts belive that the increased water temperatures are due to global warming, caused by an increase in carbon dioxide emissions by human activity.

Answer 2

http://wind.mit.edu/~emanuel/anthro2.htm
This is the second question in K. Emanuel's FAQ on TCs & global warming. This issue isn't as clear cut as most non-scientists would like you to think. I think you'll find the rest of his FAQ very interesting.

2.) Q: But I’ve noticed that there seem to have been lots more hurricanes, beginning around 1995.

A: You probably live in North America, Central America, or Europe and are talking about hurricanes in the North Atlantic. (It’s important to remember that only 11% of all hurricanes occur in the Atlantic, the rest are in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.) There has been a large upswing in the frequency of Atlantic hurricanes, beginning in 1995. This corresponds to an upswing in tropical North Atlantic sea surface temperature, which is very likely a response to increasing anthropogenic greenhouse gases. It is important to note that the late summer and early fall tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature closely follows the Northern Hemisphere mean surface temperature (including land), which makes it unlikely that regional Atlantic climate phenomena are affecting tropical sea surface temperatures ( and thereby affecting hurricanes) on time scales of more than a few years. In particular, there is no evidence for "natural cycles" of either Atlantic hurricane activity or tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature.

Answer 3

Despite the thumbs down on all of them, the answerers who blame global warming for the increased frequency (and intensity) of hurricanes are probably correct. Unfortunately, despite all the evidence contrariwise, there are still people in denial that global warming is changing our weather patterns...including hurricanes.

Also unfortunately, as the evidence piles up that global warming is the cause, those who would deny that become more, not less, entrenched and militant in their denials. They have become trapped by their denials; so now they fight back with thumbs down, despite the truth in what your answerers say...global warming is causing the increased frequency and intensity in storms and hurricanes. [See source.]

Answer 4

Don't mix up weather with climate. Climate is changing with global warming but weather is a much more seasonal phenomenon.

For example, you mention hurricanes ... but it looks like this year will have far fewer that make land in the USA (i.e. none if we are lucky).

Answer 5

Global warming..

Answer 6

cheek out bbc web site

Answer 7

blame it on global warming