A new study conducted by Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Peter Webster of Georgia Institute of Technology revealed that the number of Atlantic hurricanes from each year has doubled in the last 100 years.

Greg Holland has performed an analysis of the Atlantic tropical cyclones in the past century and he identified three different periods.

The study says that since 1900 to 1930 there were six Atlantic tropical cyclones (or major storms), of which four were hurricanes and two were tropical storms.

From 1930 to 1940, the authors point out, the annual average increased to 10, consisting of five hurricanes and five tropical storms.

In the final study period, from 1995 to 2005, the average reached 15, of which eight were hurricanes and seven were tropical storms.

Holland also noted that the increases over the last century correlate closely with SSTs, (sea surface temperatures) which have risen by about 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 100 years. The changes in SSTs took place in the years prior to the sharp increases in storm frequency, with an SST rise of approximately 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit leading up to 1930 and a similar rise leading up to 1995 and continuing even after.

The authors note that other studies indicate that most of the rise in Atlantic SSTs can be attributed to global warming.

The study concludes that warmer sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and altered wind patterns associated with global climate change are fueling much of the increase.

"These numbers are a strong indication that climate change is a major factor in the increasing number of Atlantic hurricanes," Holland said in a statement.