The most violent and destructive storms could likely double by 2050, says a paper published in the academic journal “Science Advances.” Category 3 or higher qualify as intense storms and these storms will be both more readily formed and be more frequent. Wind speeds of these storms could increase by up to 20%; category 4 and 5 hurricanes are expected to increase in frequency by 200% in some regions. Annual probability and strength will increase, world-wide, by 2050.

Nadia Bloemendaal, a climate scientist at the University of Amsterdam and the lead author on the study, wrote in an email to CNN that “our results also re-emphasize those regions that currently have a (very) low risk could start to be really impacted by tropical cyclones under climate change. We found it shocking to see the disproportionate amount of developing countries at risk for future climate change.”

The researchers used a statistical prediction system called STORM to generate 10,000 years of past and future climate conditions. They then used high-resolution wind speed maps to examine the future changes on a local scale.

The study claimed the nature of this is due to the increase in sea surface temperature worldwide; ocean temps have heated drastically due to climate change. Warm water allows for storms to congregate and increase in power as well as size.

As for Florida, there’s been a 1.2% increase in probability for hurricanes to form in the region near it. What that holds for the future is yet to be seen, but if the statistics hold true, we could be looking at a 6.5% jump by 2050.