How can hurricane Ian go from hurricane, to tropical storm, and now back to hurricane?

Question

How can hurricane Ian go from hurricane, to tropical storm, and now back to hurricane?

In: 10

Answer 1

Generally speaking, while over water the storm increases in strength and while over land it decreases in strength. So it hit Florida as a hurricane, passed over Florida, losing strength and becoming a tropical storm, then reached the Atlantic and started to gain strength again, becoming a Hurricane. Based on current trajectory, it’ll hit South Carolina as a hurricane on Friday, then quickly downgrade back to a tropical storm, and further into a tropical depression as it moves into North Carolina and Virginia.