{"693397":{"#nid":"693397","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Much Rain Can a Hurricane Make, and Does the Storm Size\u00a0Matter?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow much rain can a hurricane make, and how much do big versus small hurricanes make? \u2013 Naarah, age 8, Pittsburgh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHurricanes can produce enormous amounts of rain, adding up to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.noaa.gov\/explainers\/explainer-understanding-hurricane-hazards\u0022\u003Etrillions of gallons of water\u003C\/a\u003E. But the big risk isn\u2019t their total amount \u2013 it\u2019s how much rain falls on each location.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne town in Texas got \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/data\/tcr\/AL092017_Harvey.pdf\u0022\u003Eover 60 inches (152 centimeters) of rain\u003C\/a\u003E from Hurricane Harvey over five days in 2017. That means empty swimming pools there would have filled with rainwater 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep. Hurricane Lane \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/data\/tcr\/EP142018_Lane.pdf\u0022\u003Edumped 58 inches (147 centimeters) of rain on Kahuna Falls, Hawaii\u003C\/a\u003E, the following year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, what causes that much rain, and does the size of the storm matter?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019m an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/handlos.eas.gatech.edu\/about-me-2\/\u0022\u003Eatmospheric scientist who teaches\u003C\/a\u003E college students about weather at Georgia Tech. Let\u2019s take a look at where a hurricane\u2019s rainfall comes from and some of the questions about hurricanes and their rainfall that scientists are still trying to answer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFirst, What Goes Into Creating a Hurricane?\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA few ingredients are needed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oceanservice.noaa.gov\/facts\/how-hurricanes-form.html\u0022\u003Efor a hurricane to form\u003C\/a\u003E: A tropical thunderstorm complex, lots of moisture in the air, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-wind-shear-an-atmospheric-scientist-explains-how-it-can-tear-apart-hurricanes-and-why-el-nino-ramps-it-up-213527\u0022\u003Ewinds that don\u2019t change speed much with height\u003C\/a\u003E, and warm sea surface waters below.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe water temperature is very important.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A map shows water temperatures very warm in the Gulf.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=352\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=352\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=352\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=443\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=443\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764927\/original\/file-20261008-60-o5ms7o.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=443\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ESea surface temperatures on Oct. 6, 2026, show the very warm water in the western Gulf of Mexico, where a tropical storm grew into Hurricane Isaias the following day. Water that is over 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.5 degrees Celsius) can fuel hurricanes.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/coralreefwatch.noaa.gov\/data_current\/5km\/v3.1_op\/daily\/png\/coraltemp_v3.1_west_current.png\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ENOAA\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe magic number for surface water temperature to be able to fuel a hurricane is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oceantoday.noaa.gov\/fuelforthestorm\/\u0022\u003Eat least 80 degrees Fahrenheit\u003C\/a\u003E (26.5 degrees Celsius). At that temperature and above, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wPDoIrGUrEc\u0022\u003Ewarm ocean water evaporates into the air\u003C\/a\u003E, changing from liquid to vapor. As it makes that change, it provides energy to fuel the storm and also adds moisture to the atmosphere that eventually falls as rain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen a hurricane moves over warm water, especially when the warm water extends many feet below the surface, the storm \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.si.edu\/planet-ocean\/waves-storms-tsunamis\/where-do-hurricanes-get-their-strength\u0022\u003Epulls in even more energy and moisture\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat Affects Hurricane Size and Rainfall?\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is one of the many questions about hurricanes that atmospheric scientists are working on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe average hurricane is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/source\/zhu\/ZHU_Training_Page\/tropical_stuff\/hurricane_anatomy\/hurricane_anatomy.html\u0022\u003Eabout 300 miles (482 kilometers) wide\u003C\/a\u003E, but hurricanes \u2013 or typhoons, as they\u2019re called in the western Pacific of the Northern Hemisphere \u2013 can be much bigger or smaller.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Typhoon-Tip\u0022\u003ESuper Typhoon Tip\u003C\/a\u003E in 1979 grew to half the size of the lower 48 U.S. states. It had a radius of about 690 miles (1,110 kilometers), measured from the center of the storm to its outer edges, meaning it was 1,380 miles (2,222 kilometers) wide. Tropical Storm Marco\u2019s gale-force winds in 2008, in comparison, had a radius of 11.5 miles (18.5 kilometers), meaning it was about 23 miles (37 kilometers) across \u2013 not much larger than New York City.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A map shows the difference in size between the largest tropical storm, Tip, which took up half the Lower 48 states, and Marcos, which was about the size of New York City.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=407\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=407\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=407\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=511\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=511\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/765070\/original\/file-20261008-60-xnkf21.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=511\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EHow the largest tropical cyclone in recorded history and the smallest compare. It\u2019s quite a difference!\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.noaa.gov\/jetstream\/tropical\/tropical-cyclone-introduction\/tropical-cyclone-structure\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ENOAA\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2025, scientists published a study showing that hurricane size appears to be \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2424385122\u0022\u003Einfluenced by how warm the ocean water is\u003C\/a\u003E compared to its usual temperature that time of year. So, if a hurricane moves over water that is much warmer than normal, it tends to grow in size rapidly as well as growing in strength.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA recent hurricane that was very large in size was the extremely destructive \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/data\/tcr\/AL092024_Helene.pdf\u0022\u003EHurricane Helene in 2024\u003C\/a\u003E. As Helene moved over water near Florida that was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.earthdata.nasa.gov\/learn\/data-in-action\/warm-waters-gulf-america-helped-fuel-hurricane-helene\u0022\u003Emuch warmer than normal for late September\u003C\/a\u003E, it picked up lots of moisture that it carried all the way to the mountains of North Carolina. Several days of rain from the storm caused \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-hurricane-helene-became-a-deadly-disaster-across-six-states-240522\u0022\u003Ecatastrophic flooding\u003C\/a\u003E there.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A satellite image of a very large Hurricane Helene hitting the Florida Gulf coast.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=337\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=337\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=337\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764917\/original\/file-20261008-50-ilhmq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EA satellite image shows Hurricane Helene making landfall on Sept. 26, 2024, near Perry, Fla. The storm carried a lot of water far inland, causing flooding in the North Carolina mountains.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nesdis.noaa.gov\/news\/hurricane-helene-makes-landfall-florida\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ENOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut don\u2019t count the small hurricanes out.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust because a hurricane is small, that does not mean that it won\u2019t have a big impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/1992andrew.html\u0022\u003EHurricane Andrew in 1992\u003C\/a\u003E was destructive yet small. Its \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/articles\/tropical-storms.htm\u0022\u003Estrongest winds extended\u003C\/a\u003E only about 90 miles (150 km) from its center when it reached Miami and the Everglades. But that Category 5 hurricane is still known as one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the United States. It \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/lmk\/HurricaneAndrew30Years\u0022\u003Edestroyed more than 25,000 homes\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A radar image showing the reach of Andrew\u0026apos;s rain bands indicates a small storm.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=428\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=428\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=428\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=538\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=538\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764920\/original\/file-20261008-82-vgrd99.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=538\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EHurricane Andrew wasn\u2019t very big when it made landfall on Elliott Key, Fla., near Miami, on Aug. 24, 1992, but it was powerful and extremely destructive.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/1992andrew.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ENational Hurricane Center\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA strong storm isn\u2019t necessary for a lot of rain to fall. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/tropical\/rain\/allison2001.html\u0022\u003ETropical Storm Allison in 2001\u003C\/a\u003E is still one of the wettest tropical weather events in U.S. history. It caused over US$4 billion in damage in Texas alone, and it didn\u2019t even develop into a hurricane!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESo, What Really Leads to the Highest Rainfall Totals?\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHurricanes that move slowly or nearly stop along their path usually cause the biggest rainfall problems because their rain keeps falling over the same location. The rain may be just as intense in a fast-moving hurricane, but it doesn\u2019t stick around as long.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn example is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/event-tracker\/reviewing-hurricane-harveys-catastrophic-rain-and-flooding\u0022\u003EHurricane Harvey\u003C\/a\u003E, which hit southeastern Texas in late August 2017. The storm dropped an estimated \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tdem.texas.gov\/disasters\/hurricane-harvey\u0022\u003E27 trillion gallons\u003C\/a\u003E of water over the state \u2013 that\u2019s enough to fill about 40 million \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/deep-olympic-swimming-pool-everything-125603914.html\u0022\u003EOlympic-size swimming pools\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen Harvey stalled over the Houston area, the storm kept drawing moisture from the warm waters of the Gulf. Over four days, it brought precipitation that totals as high as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/data\/tcr\/AL092017_Harvey.pdf\u0022\u003E60.58 inches (1.54 meters) of rain over Nederland, Texas\u003C\/a\u003E. The extreme rainfall overran the town\u2019s drainage and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bayoubulletinnews.com\/60-inches-of-rain-what-hurricane-harvey-taught-nederland-texas\/\u0022\u003Etransformed Nederland into an island\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A map of rainfall totals over several days shows areas around Houston receiving extremely high amounts of rain.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=347\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=347\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=347\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=437\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=437\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764922\/original\/file-20261008-50-7g0pqc.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=437\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EThe Houston area received extraordinarily high precipitation totals from Aug. 25 through Sept. 1, 2017, associated with Hurricane Harvey.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/lch\/2017harvey\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ENational Weather Service, Lake Charles, La., office\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf a storm moves fast, like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/tae\/hurricanemichael2018\u0022\u003EHurricane Michael did in 2018\u003C\/a\u003E when it hit the Florida Panhandle, its winds and storm surge can make a big mess, but its rainfall totals will be lower.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichael was a Category 5 hurricane \u2013 more powerful than Harvey and Helene \u2013 but its \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/data\/tcr\/AL142018_Michael.pdf\u0022\u003Erainfall totals for locations along its path ranged from 6 to 10 inches\u003C\/a\u003E (15 to 25 centimeters) because it was moving so fast. That\u2019s still a lot of rain, but not compared to Harvey or to Helene, which dumped \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/data\/tcr\/AL092024_Helene.pdf\u0022\u003E30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain\u003C\/a\u003E on Busick, N.C., over a few days.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A satellite image showing the eye of the hurricane on the Florida coast.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/764924\/original\/file-20261008-50-r3t6nv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EHurricane Michael passes over Mexico Beach, Fla., on Oct. 10, 2018. The storm moved quickly, so it brought less rainfall to each location compared to slow-moving Hurricane Harvey in Texas the previous year, but its wind and storm surge caused catastrophic damage.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nesdis.noaa.gov\/news\/hurricane-michael-makes-landfall\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ENOAA NESDIS\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, a hurricane can be large or small in size and still have a big impact, depending on how slowly it\u2019s moving.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is still a lot to learn about hurricanes. Some big questions involve what\u2019s known as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/aboutgloss.shtml#r\u0022\u003Erapid intensification\u003C\/a\u003E. That occurs when a tropical storm\u2019s maximum wind speed increases quickly, by 30 knots (about 34.5 miles per hour or 55 kilometers per hour) or more within 24 hours.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen rapid intensification occurs, as happened with hurricanes Harvey, Michael and Helene before they hit land, the storm can surprise coastal residents and become catastrophic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHurricanes of all sizes can be dangerous, so accurate forecasting well before they reach land is crucial to help people prepare for their impacts. One very important area of research that today\u2019s scientists \u2013 and future scientists \u2013 can work on is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.ucar.edu\/133083\/predicting-hurricane-rapid-intensification-further-advance\u0022\u003Eimproving forecasting\u003C\/a\u003E so coastal residents know what\u2019s coming and have time to prepare.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHello, curious kids! Do you have a question you\u2019d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAnd since curiosity has no age limit \u2013 adults, let us know what you\u2019re wondering, too. We won\u2019t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/293997\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-much-rain-can-a-hurricane-make-and-does-the-storm-size-matter-293997\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHurricanes can produce enormous amounts of rain, adding up to trillions of gallons of water. But the big risk isn\u2019t their total amount \u2013 it\u2019s how much rain falls on each location.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Hurricanes can produce enormous amounts of rain, adding up to trillions of gallons of water. But the big risk isn\u2019t their total amount \u2013 it\u2019s how much rain falls on each location."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-10-22 14:17:36","changed_gmt":"2026-10-22 14:22:59","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-10-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-10-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681516":{"id":"681516","type":"image","title":"Hurricane Harvey dropped several feet of rain on Texas, stranding trucks, people and their pets. Scott Olson\/Getty Images","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHurricane Harvey dropped several feet of rain on Texas, stranding trucks, people and their pets. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/people-make-their-way-out-of-a-flooded-neighborhood-after-news-photo\/840345026?phrase=hurricane%20downpour\u0026amp;adppopup=true\u0022\u003EScott Olson\/Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1792678727","gmt_created":"2026-10-22 14:18:47","changed":"1792678727","gmt_changed":"2026-10-22 14:18:47","alt":"Hurricane Harvey dropped several feet of rain on Texas, stranding trucks, people and their pets. Scott Olson\/Getty Images","file":{"fid":"265928","name":"file-20261008-50-6qc4xk.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/22\/file-20261008-50-6qc4xk.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/22\/file-20261008-50-6qc4xk.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":221524,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/22\/file-20261008-50-6qc4xk.jpg?itok=yEOJpR7F"}}},"media_ids":["681516"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-much-rain-can-a-hurricane-make-and-does-the-storm-size-matter-293997","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/handlos.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZachary Handlos\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Senior Academic Professional and Director of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences B.S. Degree Program, Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}