This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.

With winds that can exceed 155 miles an hour and torrential rains that can cause dangerous flooding, hurricanes can cause substantial damage along coastlines and further inland. Over the past 30 to 40 years, scientists have gotten better at predicting where a hurricane will make landfall after crossing the ocean. Now, Delaware Sea Grant researchers are taking on another challenge. They are studying how the ocean interacts with the air moving above it. This information will help experts estimate the intensity of a hurricane when it hits land — and as a result save lives.