Hurricane 2001

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Hurricane 2001
L
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Hurricane 2001
Low pressure at the surface pulls air in
counter-clockwise. High pressure aloft expels the
air in a clockwise direction.
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Hurricane 2001
Winds are breezy at the edge of the storm and
increase to a maximum in the eyewall. Winds are
relatively light in the eye itself.
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The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Table
Sustained Storm
Resulting Winds
Surge
Damage Category 1 74-95 mph 4-5ft
Trees/Power Down Category 2 96-110 mph
6-8ft Sign, roof building
damage Category 3 111-130 mph
9-12ft Widespread damage/flooding Categ
ory 4 131-155 mph 13-18ft
Buildings destroyed/damaged Category 5
155 mph 19ft
Catastrophic damage/flooding
Categories 3,4 5 are major hurricanes!
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Hurricane 2001

• Hurricane Facts
• Tropical storms need warm water(at least 80
  degrees) to grow
• The warm water evaporates into the storm,
  releasing the stored heat energy when it
  condenses
• The average hurricane uses as much energy in a
  day as the entire US in 6 months
• Hurricanes help maintain the heat balance of the
  Earth
• Hurricanes can not be stopped with nuclear
  weapons or cloud seeding
• Hurricanes move with large currents of air in the
  atmosphere. The direction of the storm is not
  altered by land masses.

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Hurricane 2001

• How do Hurricanes Destroy?
• 1. Wind
• 2. Rain
• 3. Storm Surge
• 4. Tornadoes

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Hurricane 2001
WIND
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Hurricane 2001

• 2 X WIND 4 X FORCE
• Long duration, shifting and gusting winds.
• Wind knocks down trees power lines.
• Propels objects into windows and walls.
• Wind slowly dismantles homes/buildings.
• 95 of Andrew damage was wind related.

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Hurricane 2001
NO POWER!
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Hurricane 2001

• NO POWER
• lights, air conditioning, refrigeration,
  cooking, fans, TELEVISION, stoplights, gasoline,
  computers, clocks, banks (ATMs), electric can
  openers, hairdryers, coffee makers, freezers,
  stereos, most stores, most businesses, garage
  door openers, bug zappers and so on.and so on.

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Hurricane 2001
HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING
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Hurricane 2001

• ONE INCH PER HOUR!

• Slow moving storms can easily dump 15-20 inches
  of rain over a wide area. (Remember Hurricane
  Mitch!)
• Debris clogs sewers and drainage ways.
• Flood waters contaminate drinking water
• High water forces insects, snakes and other wild
  animals to higher ground (your home).
• Flood damage not covered by home owners
  insurance!!!

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Hurricane 2001
STORM SURGE
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Hurricane 2001

• STORM SURGE
• Low pressure and converging winds raise sea
  levels under the hurricane. When the hurricane
  makes landfall, so does the higher sea level.
  Powerful waves ride on top of the surge.
• Storm surge destroys coastal buildings and
  inundates barrier islands.
• Storm surge can travel well inland through
  harbors, rivers, creeks and canals.
• Storm surge is responsible for the greatest loss
  of life from a natural disaster in US history,
  Galveston Is.

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Hurricane 2001
One more thing Hurricanes often produce
tornadoes, like this one during hurricane Danny!
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Hurricane 2001
When it comes to hurricanes, we should look
to our history, not to our memory.
Jerry Jarrel Past Director of the National
Hurricane Center
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Hurricane 2001
Southwest Florida averaged about two hurricanes
per decade through 1960, but only near-misses
since then!
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Hurricane 2001

• 1961 to 1999 were hurricane free
• The population of Southwest Florida is more than
  8 times what it was in 1960!
• Most of the new people live within 10 miles of
  the coast or tidal water!
• No one knows for sure what will happen with the
  next storm, which may come sooner than later,
  based on climate studies!

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Hurricane 2001
Why no Hurricanes? Luck and the Atlantic Ocean
thermohaline conveyor belt!
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Hurricane 2001
Higher salt levels in the North Atlantic (1930s,
1940s 1950s) cause the Atlantic currents to
speed up, bringing more major hurricanes to the
US Coast! Lower salt levels (1900-1925 and
1970-1994) cause the current to slow down and
fewer major hurricanes impact the US Coast!
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Hurricane 2001
The Atlantic thermohaline conveyor belt
circulation is moving quickly once again. This
is likely the beginning of a 2 to 3 decade long
period of increased hurricane landfalls on the US
Coastline!
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Hurricane 2001
A LARGER RISK OF HURRICANES MANY, MANY MORE
PEOPLE A BIGGER RISK THAN EVER!