A hurricane is defined as a tropical cyclone



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Hurricanes

A hurricane is defined as a tropical cyclone (A warm  low pressure system  that its form over tropical or sometimes subtropical waters, with an organized circulation) with sustained winds that have reached speeds of 74 mph or higher. These storms reach the status of "hurricane" only after strengthening over a period of days or even weeks. 

For a hurricane to be form it needs to go through several stages:

  • Tropical Wave--These are the most common of tropical disturbances with about 100 forming each season. They lack a closed circulation, which is when there are winds in every direction. Wind speeds are less than 20 knots, or 25 mph.

  • Tropical Depression--A wave becomes a depression when there is a presence of a closed circulation, and sustained winds are 20 knots, or 25 mph. At this point, the system is still quite disorganized.

  • Tropical Storm--A depression becomes a tropical storm when shower and thunderstorm activity moves over the closed circulation, and sustained winds reach at least 35 knots, or 39 mph. At this point, the system is capable of causing minimal damage.

  • Hurricane--A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when the closed circulation becomes an eye, and sustained winds reach at least 65 knots, or 74 mph. At this point, the system is capable of causing significant damage.

Although hurricanes can form as early as late May and continue into December in the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico, the official Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1st and ends November 30th. In the Atlantic Basin (the North Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea), hurricane season is typically most active between mid-August through October. Height of the season is in mid-September, during which about as many major hurricane landfalls have occurred in the past as in October and August combined. 

Economic consequences include unemployment, loss of revenue, loss of foreign exchange etc.

Social consequences consist of disruption of communities (forces people to evacuate their homes. It causes internal migration where people have to leave their home and go to an emergency shelter) ,death, ill health and homelessness, trauma and loss of lives.

When making landfall along the coastline, a hurricane brings more than its intensely powerful and destructive winds ashore. Hurricanes also are responsible for a range of weather impacts, from storm surge (rapid rise in the level of water that moves onto land) and flooding caused by heavy rains to tornadoes. 

Articles

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/30/hurricane-sandy-haiti-emergency-aid

Article 1 tells that Haiti after suffering the devastating earthquake in 2010 has been struck again, but this time by hurricane sandy in 2012. Although the smallest part of the sandy reached Haiti the poor structure of houses and the poverty caused 54 deaths, and 200,000 homeless persons. Crops have been destroyed for Haiti citizens and although this was a small hurricane it had great impacts because of the large amount of rains that came after the hurricane.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/03/world/americas/tropical-storm-karen/

Article 2 says that hurricane Karen was formed between Cuba and Mexico Yucatan peninsula. This hurricane stroke united states and produced heavy rainfall over portions of western Cuba and the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula. Karen was detected during EEUU government shutdown early this month and hurricane centers started to work again.



Bibliography

  • http://www.hurricaneville.com/stages.html

  • http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/hurricanes/articles/hurricane-damage-effects_2010-05-24

  • http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/hurricanes/articles/hurricane-what-is-a-hurricane_2010-05-24

  • http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/hurricanes/articles/hurricane-seasons_2010-05-24

  • http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/hurricanes/articles/hurricane-damage-effects_2010-05-24


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