HURRICANE

Science Essay

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 26^o C (80^o 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.