Hypercane

For comparison, the largest and most intense storm on record was 1979's Typhoon Tip, with a wind speed of over 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph) and central pressure of 870 hectopascals (26 inHg). Hypercanes would have wind speeds of over 800 kilometres per hour (500 mph) and would also have a central pressure of less than 700 hectopascals (21 inHg), giving them an enormous lifespan.

The waters could remain hot enough for weeks, allowing more hypercanes to be formed. A hypercane's clouds would reach 30 kilometres (19 mi) into the stratosphere. Such an intense storm would also damage the earth's ozone. Water molecules in the stratosphere would react with ozone to accelerate decay into O2 and reduce absorption of ultraviolet light. The extreme conditions needed to create a hypercane could conceivably produce a system up to the size of North America (compare image of Typhoon Tip's size at right), creating storm surges of 18 metres (59 ft) and an eye nearly 300 kilometres (190 mi) across.

This would be more comparable to a tornado, which has been recorded at up to about 2.5 miles. Other scientists have theorized that the system, compared to a normal hurricane, would be considerably smaller, about 10 miles in diameter.