tropic

As Kirk moves north out of the tropics, it will eventually weaken over the cooler waters further north.

“The fact that everything is still increasing is disconcerting. The most concerning part for me, though, is the potential for increased natural emissions, particularly in the tropics,” he said.

That’s because it tends to reduce wind shear in the tropics, enabling hurricanes to grow in strength, and keeps Atlantic Ocean water warm, which helps fuel storms.

“They are not common here in California,” Frable said, adding that the long, ribbon-like fish are periodically found on beaches around the world, more frequently in the tropics.

Oil palms thrive in the tropics, and their expanding footprint has led to extensive deforestation and biodiversity loss in some of the most ecologically sensitive rainforests on earth, especially in Southeast Asia.