Anand Gnanadesikan, a climate modeler in Johns Hopkins University's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, examines the atmospheric and oceanic circulation of the tropics, including how changes in circulation can affect hurricane formation.

He spoke about Hurricane Irma—the most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record, which has cut a path of destruction through the Caribbean islands and is expected to make landfall in Florida over the weekend.

"Some of the most intense hurricanes ever seen have been seen in the past few years," says Gnanadesikan, who predicts that climate change will reduce the overall number of hurricanes, but increase their intensity.

Credit: Len Turner