Climate

A coral pollution study unexpectedly helped explain Hurricane Maria’s fury

A fire hose effect kept the water surface hot around Puerto Rico, fueling the storm’s intensity

Yasmin Morales stands in the doorway of her home with debris and the Puerto Rico landscape visible behind her. The roof is absent. Jugs of water sit on a counter top, and two big blue barrels stand in front of her.

Yasmin Morales stands in what’s left of her home in the eastern part of Puerto Rico in September 2017 after Hurricane Maria battered the island.

HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

By Martin J. Kernan

Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico early on September 20, 2017, with 250-kilometer-per-hour winds, torrential rains and a storm surge up to three meters high.