Hurricanes can be very devastating to
not only the people in the hurricane, but to the many families outside of the
hurricane, just waiting for them to return their calls. Families pray do
everything they can to try and help their family that is trapped inside the
massive walls of the hurricane. Their help is very limited, all they can do, is
wait, and pray. One of the main concerns of the future is: How are we going to
overcome the destruction, and the devastation of all of the natural disasters?
A hurricane in a very intense rotation of the oceanic weather system, that has
winds that can get up to or even go over 119 km/hr (74 mph)!
Hurricanes are generally smaller storms
in mid latitudes, typically about 500 km (311 miles) in diameter. At the
ocean’s surface, the air spirals inward in a counterclockwise direction. This
cyclonic circulation becomes weaker with height, eventually turning into
clockwise outflow near the top of the storm. Hurricanes mostly form and
intensify over oceanic regions. In order for a hurricane to form, the surface
temperature of seawater has to be at least 26o C (80o
F) and it requires the earth’s rotation, a spinning circulation, otherwise
known as the Coriolis effect. In north America these phenomena are called hurricanes.
In other parts of the world, like western North Pacific a hurricane is also
known as “typhoon” and in the Indian Ocean and the Western North Pacific is
known as “tropical cyclone.
As shown in the picture the most hurricanes occur in:
“North Atlantic Ocean Hurricane
season: June 1 - November 30. The most active period runs from about mid August
through the latter part of October. Locations that may be affected are the
Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America including eastern Mexico, the eastern and
Gulf coasts of the United States, and eastern Canada.
Eastern North Pacific Ocean Hurricane
season: May 15 - November 30. This is the second most active region for
tropical cyclones in the world. These storms mostly move into the open eastern
Pacific Ocean but can affect western Mexico and sometimes after developing,
Hawaii.
Northwest Pacific Ocean Typhoon
season: All year. This is the most active basin in the world. Most typhoons
form between July through November. The tropical cyclones that form here can
affect the Philippines, southeast Asia including China and Taiwan, and Japan.
Bay of Bengal / Arabian Sea Severe
Cyclonic storm season: April 1 - December 30. This basin has a double maximum
because of the monsoon trough moving through at two different times of the
year. Maximums occur from mid April through May and from mid September through
mid December.
Southwest Pacific Ocean Severe
Tropical Cyclone Season: October 15 - May 1. These tropical cyclones may affect
eastern Australia.
Southeast Indian Ocean Severe
Tropical Cyclone Season: October 15 - May. These tropical cyclones may affect
northern and western Australia. This basin has a double maximum in mid January,
and mid February through early March.
Southwest Indian Ocean Tropical
Cyclone Season: October 15 - May 15. These tropical cyclones may affect
Madagascar and southeastern Africa. A double maximum occurs in mid January and
mid February through early March.”
"Where Do Hurricanes Occur?" Where
Do Hurricanes Occur? 3 June 2012. Web. 03 June 2012.
<http://www.tropicalweather.net/where_do_hurricanes_occur.htm>.
Naming the hurricanes is not that hard.
The only reason we name them, is for the forecasters and the weather people to
have easier communication between each other. The names that they name
the hurricanes are not personal names. There are come men's and some women's
names but the majority of names are names of animals, trees, birds, flowers or
even foods, etc., while only some of the names are descriptive adjectives.
First
of all, hurricanes can affect many things. It can affect lives, it can affect countries,
cities, states, buildings and so on. One thing that I have learned during my
research is that not every storm leaves a mark of humanities, but when it does,
it’s a pretty big one. Take for example, Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina
was a category 4 hurricane, but before she was category 4, she was cat. 2. The
categories are split up into 5.
1.
Winds: 74-95 mph (64-82 kt) – Surge – 4-5 feet. – No
real damage to buildings, very little costal flooding.
2.
Winds: 96-110 mph (83-95 kt) – Surge – 6-8 feet. –
May cause some damage to your house like to doors, windows and roofing.
Flooding damages.
3.
Winds: 111-130 mph (96-113) – Surge – 9-12 feet. –
Some structural damage. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures.
4.
Winds: 131-155 mph (114-135 kt) – Surge – 13-18 feet.
Terrain is flooded inland. Some major erosion by the beach areas.
5. 155 mph+
(135+ kt) – Surge – 18+ feet. TOTAL DISTRUCTION!
Once
a hurricane has been detected, and its movement carefully observed and plotted,
the Hurricane Warning Service in the United States goes into operation. The
National Hurricane Center, in Miami, Florida, is the major base of activity for
this warning system.
The
task of properly warning the public about an approaching hurricane is a big
responsibility. As a hurricane speeds closer to land, the National Hurricane
Center issues a series of warnings to specific areas of coastline. The warnings
and their meanings are as follows:
1. “Small
craft warning = A storm
is within a few hundred miles of the coast.
2. Gale
warning = Winds of 38
to 54 miles per. At 39 miles per hour, the storm is given a name.
3. Tropical
storm warning = Winds
of 55 to 74 miles.
4. Hurricane
watch = Winds above 74
miles per hour. Hurricane conditions threatening land are a serious
possibility.
5. Hurricane
warning = Winds above
74 miles per hour.
6. Hurricane force winds = Are expected
to hit land. The flags, above, would be
displayed to warn boats of the dangerous storm.”
"Warning."
Warning. Miami Museum of Science. Web. 03 June 2012.
<http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/warning.html>.
The main advantage
of a hurricane is to transfer large amounts of excessive hear energy from the
ocean out into the atmosphere, that in a way will help global warming by decreasing
the temperature in the tropical regions. The disadvantages are obviously
flooding, damage, heavy rain, power outings etc. In all, hurricanes can be both
helpful in a sense, and very destructive and devastating.
