Dr Renno and research scientist Natalia Andronova predict that for every 3.6°F that the Earth's surface temperature warms, the destructive force of an intense storm could rise by as much as 10%.

This has an obvious impact on shipping and coastal defences, where some routes will become more prone to sudden and violent atmospheric changes. In the UK, the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) has already noted that marine air and sea surface temperatures have been rising at a similar rate to land air temperature, but with strong regional variations.

Read the full story in the September issue of Maritime Journal.