it is grating to see the ongoing handwringing about Irma as an indicator of climate change when it was clearly NOT the biggest storm in the history of ever and even if it was that alone does not equate to climate change.  It is News as entertainment and as a profit generator.  The result is a pushback against the constant drum beat of doom.
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the real issue is the one you've noted.  More storms and those that come are stronger.  That's what will ultimately do the damage.  
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I saw an excellent comparison of climate change to baseball.  "I don't know which of Barry Bonds home runs were the result of the steroids, but know he hit more that year because of steroids"  The same is true of hurricanes.