Increased hurricane frequency near Florida during Younger Dryas Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation slowdown

Geology
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Abstract

The risk posed by intensification of North Atlantic hurricane activity remains controversial, in part due to a lack of available storm proxy records that extend beyond the relatively stable climates of the late Holocene. Here we present a record of storm-triggered turbidite deposition offshore the Dry Tortugas, south Florida, USA, that spans abrupt transitions in North Atlantic sea-surface temperature and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the Younger Dryas (12.9–11.7 ka). Despite potentially hostile conditions for cyclogenesis in the tropical North Atlantic at that time, our record and numerical experiments suggest that strong hurricanes may have regularly affected Florida. Less severe surface cooling at mid-latitudes (∼20°–40°N) than across much of the tropical North Atlantic (∼10°–20°N) in response to AMOC reduction may best explain strong hurricane activity during the Younger Dryas near the Dry Tortugas and possibly along the entire southeastern coast of the United States.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Increased hurricane frequency near Florida during Younger Dryas Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation slowdown
Series title Geology
DOI 10.1130/G39270.1
Volume 45
Issue 11
Year Published 2017
Language English
Publisher Geological Society of America
Contributing office(s) Eastern Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center
Description 4 p.
First page 1047
Last page 1050
Country United States
State Florida
Other Geospatial Dry Tortugas
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