Hurricane andrew tracking investigation
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- PROCEDURES
- SAFFIR/SIMPSON SCALE PART II: Graphing the Wind Speed Air Pressure
- HURRICANE ANDREW DATA TABLE DATE TIME
- WIND SPEED STATUS Aug 21
| HURRICANE ANDREW TRACKING INVESTIGATION
Objectives: Determine the strength of a hurricane using the Saffir/Simpson scale. Plot latitude and longitude coordinates on a map. Interpret graph of Wind Speed vs. Air Pressure Describe the conditions necessary for a hurricane to develop and how it dies out. Introduction: Like other Atlantic hurricanes, Andrew started as a low-pressure system in the tropics off the west coast of Africa. Warm water and moist air supplied the energy for it to strengthen into an ordinary and average tropical storm. Surface winds began to move the storm westward. Although all tropical storms form and develop in this way, only a few intensify into hurricane. Most encounter upper air winds moving in the opposite direction as the surface winds. As a result, these storms weaken and soon die out. Tropical Storm Andrew, on the other hand, encountered upper air winds moving in the same direction as the surface winds. These reinforcing winds caused Andrew to quickly strengthen into an unusually powerful hurricane. Hurricane Andrew is only the third Category 5 hurricane to impact the United States in recent history. Andrew proved to be one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes of the 20th century.
Weather satellites collect latitude and longitude coordinates to allow people to plot the paths of hurricanes and make predictions and advisories as to where they will make landfall. The National Hurricane Center tracks the hurricanes and issues their best estimate as to when and where a hurricane will hit and possible intensity levels. A tropical depression is an organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 miles per hour. A tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph. A hurricane has a well-defined surface circulation with sustained winds of 74 mph or greater and are categorized by their winds speeds. Category 1 is the weakest and Category 5 is the strongest. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. The air over the water becomes warm & humid which makes the air rise creating a very low pressure system. The “death” of a hurricane results from the loss of moisture and warm water which happens during landfall. Land is cooler & drier which stops the air from rising and increases the pressure. Also over land, winds slow due to friction with the land surface Hurricane Naming: Prior to 1953, hurricanes were named by where they hit or their coordinates. In 1953, hurricanes began having female names to help identify them in tropical waters, especially when there were multiple storms occurring simultaneously. It wasn’t until 1979 that the hurricanes began alternating between male and female names in alphabetical order in a six-year rotating list. These names are used repeatedly unless they are retired due to substantial damage or death. Throughout Virginia’s history, over 69 eyes of cyclones have passed over the state and 11 have made landfall within 60 miles of Virginia’s coasts. PROCEDURES: PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. PART I: Complete the “STATUS” Column in the Hurricane Andrew Data Table 1. Using the Wind speeds on the Data Table and the Saffir/Simpson Scale below, determine the status of the storm either a Tropical Storm or a Hurricane + Category. Fill in this information in the last column of the Data Table. A few examples are done for you. DO NOT ABBREVIATE! 
SAFFIR/SIMPSON SCALE PART II: Graphing the Wind Speed & Air Pressure You made the graph in excel. A copy is pasted below the data table. Part III: Tracking the Storm – Latitude and Longitude 2. Using the Hurricane Andrew Data Table, plot the track of Hurricane Andrew on the Map by marking a point at the correct latitude and longitude given. (The first few points are plotted for you) 3. Label each point you have plotted with the date and the time. Notice the times are on a 24-hour clock. Example: the 1st point for August 21, 03:00 hrs, should be labeled “21/03.” August 21, 09:00 hrs = “21/09.” 4. Develop a colored coded key to represent the status of the storm and connect the points to show track the storm. You will use six different colors of your choice. Fill in the key in the margin of the map. Example: Blue = Tropical Storm, Green = Category 1 Hurricane, and so on. Connect the points when it was a tropical storm in blue, connects the points when it was a category 1 in green... Part IV: Landfall Times 5. Look at the map where you plotted the track of the Hurricane. Circle the points where the Hurricane touches land. 6. Find on your Wind Speed vs. Air Pressure Graph the date and times the landfall occurred. Circle those points on the graph. Notice how landfall affects the Wind Speed and Air Pressure. Name: _________________________________________ Date: ________________________ Block: ______
Name: _________________________________________ Date: ________________________ Block: ______ Hurricane Andrew – Analysis and Conclusions:
Watch your use of “it” – don’t start sentences with “because” – don’t abbreviate Use “increases” or “decreases” to describe relationships 1. What is the lowest air pressure recorded of Hurricane Andrew? ____________________________________________ 2. Where was Hurricane Andrew when it reached its lowest air pressure? [ over land / over water ] 3. How did Hurricane Andrew’s air pressure change after the hurricane hit land? [ increase / decrease ] 4. Why does lower air pressure occur over water where hurricanes form? ______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How did Hurricane Andrew’s wind speed change after the hurricane hit land? [ increase / decrease ] 6. Look at your map, where was Hurricane Andrew located between August 24, 15:00 and August 26, 3:00? [ over land / over water ] How did the surface type affect the wind speed during the same period of time? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________________ 7. According to your graph, what is the general relationship between air pressure and wind speed? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Directory: cms -> lib -> VA01000195 -> Centricity -> Domain Domain -> Course title Domain -> Five Regions of Virginia Reader’s Theater Characters Domain -> Word Bank Eastern York rivers Dismal Swamp fishing Atlantic Ocean Flat plateau coal railroads southwestern George Washington Markets Fall Line west mountain ridges Kentucky Washington D. C Domain -> Period 1 Review (1491 1607) Domain -> The student will demonstrate knowledge of major events and outcomes of the Cold War by Domain -> Tuscarora High School Social Science Department Domain -> World Ocean Currents Domain -> Places are located. A globe Download 0.5 Mb. Share with your friends:
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