IV. Hurricanes

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IV. Hurricanes
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A. Introduction

• 1. June-November is hurricane season
• 2. hurricane- massive rotating tropical
• storm with wind speeds of 119
• kilometers per hour (74 mph)
• 3. Names in different parts of the world
• a. Hurricane- Northern Hemisphere in the
  Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Pacific (North
  America)
• b. Typhoon- Northern Hemisphere Pacific Ocean
  (Eastern Asia)
• c. Cyclone- Southern Hemisphere, Indian and
  Pacific Oceans (Australia, Africa and India)

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B. How Hurricanes Form

• 1. Start off the coast of Africa as a Low
  Pressure System or tropical disturbance
• 2. Warm tropical water in the Atlantic
  evaporates (cools, condenses and creates cloudsa
  very LARGE MASS of clouds)
• 3. As Trade Winds push across the Atlantic storm
  picks up power and is upgraded

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More about formation

• 1. Tropical Depression- less than 39 mph (63
  kph)
• 2. Tropical Storm- 39 mph- 73 mph (63 kph-118
  kph)- Storm is named
• 3. Hurricane Category 1- 74 mph or 119 kph
  minimum

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C. Eye of the Hurricane

• 1. Eye- calm center of a hurricane
• 2. Eye wall- ring of clouds surrounding the eye
  making up the strongest part of the storm
• a. Strongest Winds
• b. Heaviest Rain

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D. Hurricane Movement

• 1. Hurricanes usually last a week or longer
• 2. Pushed West by the easterly Trade Winds
• 3. Usually turns and is pushed East by the
  Prevailing Westerlies
• 4. Loss of Power- Away from warm, moist air
• a. Passes over land
• b. Moves into colder water

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E. Hurricane Damage

• 1. High Waves caused by strong winds
• 2. Severe Flooding caused by heavy rain
• 3. Wind Damage
• 4. Storm Surge- a dome of water that sweeps
  across the coast
• a. high winds
• b. very low pressure

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F. Hurricane Safety

• 1. Hurricane Watch- hurricane conditions are
  possible in your area within the next 36 hours
  (prepare to evacuate)
• 2. Hurricane Warning- hurricane conditions are
  expected within 24 hours (evacuate the area
  immediately)
• 3. Evacuate- temporarily leave the area

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G. Additional Information

• 1. Saffir-Simpson Scale- used to measure
  hurricanes based on wind speed and damage
• 2. Storm Size
• a. Storm can be several hundred miles across
• b. Eye would be less than 100 miles across