What is a Hurricane?
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- Formation of Hurricanes
- Damage Caused by Hurricanes
- The Six-Year List of Hurricane Names For Atlantic Storms
What is a Hurricane?A hurricane is a tropical cyclone where winds reach speeds of more then 119 km per hr. In some hurricanes wind speeds can reach up to and over 289 km per hour. In the Atlantic, tropical storms are known as hurricanes, a Carib Indian word for "big wind." In the West Pacific, they are known as typhoons, a Chinese word meaning "great wind." In Australia they are called a willy-willy, while in the Indian Ocean they are simply known as tropical cyclone. Where cyclone is a Greek word meaning, "coil." Normally hurricanes have a life span of 1-30 days in length. After the 30-day mark, the extended contact with cold waters and land surfaces, the hurricanes will slowing die of and become a tropical storm. 
(http://www.todossantos-baja.com/todos-santos/hurricanes/hurricane-adolph-2001.jpg) Formation of HurricanesTropical depression and tropical storm are the first two stages that a cyclone will reach while attaining hurricane force. Hurricanes start to form by gathering tropical storms together over the sea. Moist air and thermal energy is taken in by the low-pressure centre from the oceans surface, and then air is lifted by the process of convection, while high pressure in the atmosphere pushes it outward. The going round of the wind currents will spin the clouds into a tight coil, which will the make the winds stronger, which will then become gale force, making the depression into a hurricane. A mature hurricane has a power that will extend over 500 mi (805 km) in diameter. Low central pressure will result in the surface air spiralling inward cyclonically (Counter clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere) making circle that is about 30km in size that will encircle the hurricanes eye. The rim of the circle is known as the eye wall, where the spiralling, moist air is then forced up, causing heat to be released. Then by reaching tens of thousands of feet above the ground, the air is pushed towards the storms edges, which then creates the spirals clouds that we see on satellite images. The eye wall has the heaviest precipitation and the highest clouds because of upward velocity of air and subsequent condensation. Also the eye wall has the highest and maximum wind speed of the hurricane, because of the push of pressure outward. On the other hand the eye of the hurricane is completely different, with no wind and little precipitation and is usually no clouds, leaving the sky blue. Sinking currents at the hurricane's core lead to warmer temperatures in the eye of more then 10°F to 15°F (5°C–8°C) then the air surrounding the eye. 
(http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/images/four-hurricanes-19980926-g84kmir.gif) Movement and Occurrence of Hurricanes At the early stages of a hurricane, they travel east bound at about 16 km/hr. As they progress, they will start to turn towards the poles as they reach the western margins of the oceans at 20° to 30° lat., but there are more complex tracks are common. In the northern hemisphere, hurricanes tend to form over the Atlantic Ocean and as they grow more mature they will go westward. Mexico also has hurricanes that form of the west coast that will move north-eastward up the coast. Only 3.5 hurricanes on average will mature and reach the east coast of North America. One of the three hurricanes usually will come from the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico. On the east side of North America hurricanes usually form from June to November. While Hurricanes in the Pacific prefer May through to December. In the Southern Hemisphere the hurricane season is December to April. The reason the hurricane seasons are when they are, is because for a hurricane to form they need warm water and during these months that’s when the water is the warmest. Most commonly you will see a picture of a hurricane though satellite pictures, but airplanes are still the best way to track hurricanes, only by flying directly through the storm can you tell how quick it’s moving, how large it is and how strong the winds are. 
(http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jax/research/hurricanes/history/1898/Graphs/Graph1.GIF) Damage Caused by HurricanesThe number one cause of loss of life and damage done to property is the winds of the hurricane. Another big factor the flooding caused torrential rains that are caused. To determine the severity of a hurricane you would use the Saffir-Simpson scale, which measures the damage that was done. It measures/classifies hurricanes on a ladder from category 1 (minimal), through category 2 (moderate), category 3 (extensive), and category 4 (extreme), to category 5 (catastrophic). Since the system was introduced, there have been only two category 5 hurricanes to hit the states, one in Florida in 1935 killing over 600 people and in Mississippi in 1969 killing 256 people and damage of 1.4 billons dollars US. There have been less than ten, category 5 hurricanes to hit in the Atlantic Ocean. Even when a hurricane dies down to a tropical storm, it can still cause major damage and flooding, as Hurricane Agnes did in 1972. Many programs have been set up to try and stop a hurricane in its early stages. Most recently, damage-mitigation steps have been put forward including better warning systems involving real-time satellite imagery. Within 24-36 hours a hurricane warning is issued if there is threat of a hurricane conditions. When hurricane conditions (winds greater than 74 mph/119 kph or dangerously high water and rough seas) are expected in 24 hours or less, a hurricane warning is issued. 
(http://www.eaglesnest.net/weather/saffirsimpson.gif) Hurricane Names
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Agnes Alicia Allen Andrew Anita Audrey Betsy Bob |
Camille Carla Carmen Celia Cesar Cleo Connie David |
Diana Donna Elena Fran George Gilbert Gloria Hortense |
Janet Joan Louis Marilyn Mitch Opal Roxanne |
(http://www.goes.noaa.gov/EVENTS/EG41.GIF)
(http://envsc.edcc.edu/hurricanes.jpg)
The Six-Year List of Hurricane Names For Atlantic Storms
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2001 Allison Barry Chantal Dean Erin Felix Gabrielle Humberto Iris Jerry Karen Lorenzo Michelle Noel Olga Pablo Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy |
2002 Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gustav Hanna Isidore Josephine Kyle Lili Marco Nana Omar Paloma Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred |
2003 Ana Bill Claudette Danny Erika Fabian Grace Henri Isabel Juan Kate Larry Mindy Nicholas Odette Peter Rose Sam Teresa Victor Wanda |
2004 Alex Bonnie Charley Danielle Earl Frances Gaston Hermine Ivan Jeanne Karl Lisa Matthew Nicole Otto Paula Richard Shary Tomas Virginie Walter |
2005 Arlene Bret Cindy Dennis Emily Franklin Gert Harvey Irene Jose Katrina Lee Maria Nate Ophelia Philippe Rita Stan Tammy Vince Wilma |
2006 Alberto Beryl Chris Debby Ernesto Florence Gordon Helene Isaac Joyce Keith Leslie Michael Nadine Oscar Patty Rafael Sandy Tony Valerie William |
(http://www.datanation.com/images/dh.gif)
Tropical Cyclones (hurricanes)
by: Lee Rafuse and Corey Rafuse
(http://www.north-topsail-beach.org/hurrican.htm)
2003-05-04
Global Geography 12
Mr. Wohlmuth
Works Cited:
“All About Hurricanes.” Scholastic. (1 May 2003)
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/hurricanes/extreme/trivia.htm
“Hurricanes.” InfoPlease.com (3 May 2003)
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/hurricanes.html
“Natural Disasters, Hurricanes.” Federal Emergency Management Agency (3 May 2003)
http://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htm
“Questions and Answers About Hurricanes.” National Severe Storms Laboratory (1 May 2003)
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/hurricane
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