Hurricane Laura was the latest storm to strengthen fast, but is rapid intensification really becoming more common?

Chris Slocum, Colorado State University Hurricane Laura blew up quickly as it headed for the Louisiana coast, intensifying from a tropical storm to a major hurricane in less than 24 hours. By the time it made it landfall, it was a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 150 mile-per-hour winds. The Atlantic has seen several hurricanes…