Cyclone Harry was so violent also because of the climate crisis

Cyclone Harry, which devastated entire areas of Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia between 19 and 22 January 2026, presented itself with a violence never seen before also for a very specific cause: the climate crisis. 

A research by the scientific organization ClimaMeter shows that the wind speeds associated with Harry were significantly higher than they would have been in a colder climate. In particular, Winds near the surface are ~4 to 8 km/h stronger (about +15%) than in similar conditions in the past not influenced by global warming. This suggests aamplification of the cyclone's intensity due to warmer weather caused by rising global temperatures.

For the same reason, in some areas hit by Cyclone Harry (which in addition to Italy also hit Malta and Tunisia), more than 150 millimeters of rain fell in 24 hours, causing flooding and landslides. The authors of the study ClimaMeter they underline that, even though it is a question of an exceptional event in historical series, the weather conditions associated with Harry were “stronger” today than they would have been in a climate without global warming — implying that the anthropogenic climate change has amplified the violence of the cyclone.

Scientists explain that the global warming increases the energy available in the atmosphere and at sea surfaces for very specific reasons, all of which have now been well studied and demonstrated:

• Warmer seas provide more water vapor e energy to storm/cyclone systems;
• A warmer atmosphere can support stronger winds;
• High sea temperatures are associated with more frequent and intense extreme rainfall and storm surges.

In the cover image: Catanzaro Lido (Source: Avvenire)

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