Increasingly severe weather patterns in recent years have turned into a serious issue for the hundreds of millions of people who live along coasts across the world. Extreme weather patterns are attributed to global climate change in general. Western U.S. wildfires are blazing out of control more frequently, earthquakes are growing more dangerous, and tropical storms are wreaking havoc on entire continents with startling regularity.

Though cyclones and hurricanes are among the most terrifying natural disasters for those who live near coasts, have you ever considered how these storms affect aquatic life? It would appear to be a secure location, shielded from the pelting rain and hail, yet nothing could be farther from the truth!

Why do hurricanes occur?

It's crucial to comprehend what produces storms as well as their physical characteristics in order to comprehend the effects they might have on a specific region. The rising moist, warm air will cause a hurricane to form over warm ocean water, well-known as the storm with the greatest intensity on Earth.

When this air rises, it creates a region of low pressure close to the water's surface. When higher-pressure air from the surrounding areas rushes in to fill this low-pressure space, it is heated by the warm air and rises into the atmosphere.

The air starts to whirl and spin as this process continues, and the air that rises will ultimately cool and transform into clouds that are heavy with rain.

The spiraling, self-sustaining storm will continue to intensify as it moves across tropical regions, wreaking havoc in its path, especially close to coasts where the enormous surges produced by the wind may develop into enormous waves. 

On the other hand, when a storm of this scale touches down on land, it loses access to a steady supply of warm air that fuels it, which causes it to weaken and finally turn into a typical "overland" storm. However, it is hard to ignore the damage it might cause while traveling.

Tropical Storms and Marine Life

Most people have seen photographs of flooded streets, destroyed houses, and wrecked beaches that are left behind after a hurricane. However, what a storm does immediately at the surface and below the waves may have a disastrous effect on the local marine life.

Huge amounts of warm surface water, which has been greatly diluted by rains, and colder, deeper water with increased salinity occur when enormous swells become hurricane waves, which may reach heights of 60 feet or more.

This mixing occurs hundreds of feet below the surface as well as on the top, generating incredibly fast-moving water currents underneath the breaking waves.

The violent currents and fluctuating salinity levels can be avoided by bigger creatures by moving farther from shore and deeper waters. Because they are competent and clever animals that are very sensitive to changes in temperature and salinity, whales, sharks, and dolphins—animals that frequently inhabit coastal areas—are not much harmed by storms. 

Sharks are frequently the first creatures to notice a storm because they are able to sense even the smallest changes in water pressure and go to deeper, safer seas.

The thought of escaping to calmer waters is impossibly difficult for most species who spend their whole lives in a coral reef or a tiny local environment. These currents don't leave empty-handed as they tear through tidal or coastal environments. Silt, grit, and other items, including pollutants and possibly dangerous compounds, are dragged along by the swiftly moving water. In addition to making the water murky and difficult to see through, silt and debris sometimes plug fish gills, preventing them from breathing. Fish and other marine life, including seals and manatees, can be physically thrown out of the water by strong waves, where they will become beached and perish.

The makeup of whole sand bars and coastal ecosystems may be altered by the same underwater currents that can destroy coral reefs and even cover them in silt and dust. This may essentially kill off the life in coral reefs, and the muddy soil can prevent light and oxygen from reaching the creatures that so urgently require them.

Along with the actual movement of the water and its constituent parts, the water's rapid change in salinity and temperature as a result of this shift in water can also make a place uninhabitable for animals that depend on limited ranges of temperature and salinity for existence. Due to rising ocean temperatures, coral reefs have started to bleach all over the world. However, physical damage from hurricanes may also wipe off up to 20% of a region's coral development in a single storm season.

Are Hurricanes Beneficial in Any Way?

No, according to any human population, and the majority of marine ecosystems would likewise prefer to be hurricane-free, but there can be some long-term advantages. For instance, the same currents that destroy coral reefs physically may also take the fragments to new locations, where they may settle and maybe create new coral reefs.

Because of the adjustments in the human population, certain animals also profit from hurricane aftermath. More precisely, the fishing business in a particular area may suffer in the wake of a powerful storm, as a result of damaged boats, harm to the infrastructure along the coast, etc. Because of this, there may be more fish in the water, which would increase the resources available to large animals and provide them a stronger motivation to procreate more frequently. These insignificant cons can't make up for how catastrophic storms are, but it's necessary to consider Mother Nature from all angles!

Conclusion 

Hurricanes unquestionably have a harmful impact on marine life, despite the fact that creation and destruction are constantly dancing against one another as part of the planet's complex life cycle. 

In a handful of hours, they may smother fish, destabilize ecosystems, change salinity, and damage coral reefs. These tropical cyclones continue to pose one of the greatest natural threats to marine life, despite the fact that some species may experience minor ancillary benefits; however, it is likely that human actions—and inaction—in relation to climate change are to blame for the storms' increasing severity.