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Climate change could lead to more locations being affected by tropical storms. Warmer seas could cause the source areas (the areas where the storms would form) to extend further north and south of the equator.

It's unclear whether climate change will increase or decrease the number of hurricanes, but climate models predict that their intensity may increase. The following factors may play a part in increasing their impact:

• warmer ocean surface temperatures and higher sea levels
• wind speeds potentially increasing 2-11 per cent
• rainfall rates during these storms are projected to increase by about 20 per cent

In addition, sea level rise is likely to make tropical storms more damaging with increases in coastal flooding and subsequent storm damage along coasts. Low-lying coastal communities where the population density is high and the income level low are most at risk. More people living in coastal communities in the future will mean that more people will be affected.