Hurricane Erin left a trail of cool water. Could that slow down the next storm?

The Atlantic is still carrying the scars of Hurricane Erin.

In the storm’s wake, satellite data shows a broad swath of the ocean several degrees cooler than it was even a week ago.

This is a striking reminder of how a powerful Category 5 hurricane like Erin doesn’t just churn the air, it stirs the sea.

Erin grew into an unusually large system sending tropical storm–force winds across nearly 600 miles of ocean off the Southeast U.S. and whipping up waves along with upwelling cooler deep ocean water beneath the storm’s surface.

How hurricanes cool the ocean

When a storm like Erin spins over the sea, its fierce winds mix the ocean from top to bottom. This turbulence draws colder, denser water up from the depths in a process called upwelling. Hurricanes thrive in warm water, typically abo