Hurricanes: The

Hurricanes: The MightiestMightiest of Storms

of Storms

By Stacy Bodin

Have you ever heard of a hurricanehurricane? Do you know what it is or how it can affect people? HurricanesHurricanes are a part of life along the coastal regions of the United States. Many hurricaneshurricanes have hit the United States. States that lie along the Gulf of Mexico like Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and Florida have experienced devastating hurricaneshurricanes for centuries.

The eastern coast of the United States also has dealt with HurricanesHurricanes and their fury as well. HurricanesHurricanes rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

•Hurricanes are the planet’s most ferocious storms.

•They are known as cyclones in Australia and typhoons in southeast Asia.

•They bring massive waves and wind speeds that can gust up to 186 mph.

•Hurricanes are not the normal storms created when cold and warm fronts collide.

Introduction to hurricanes

•A hurricane is made up of bands of thunderclouds that spin around a clear, still center called the eye.

•Winds blowing across the warm seas close to the equator suck up heat and water vapor to form the storms that produce hurricanes.

•The swirling mass of thunderclouds is set spinning by the rotation of the earth and by winds from the poles

•A hurricane can last for weeks and travel many thousands of miles.

Birth of a Hurricane

What is a hurricanehurricane? A hurricanehurricane is a very destructive and dangerous stormstorm. It forms in stages. Strong windwind, rainrain, tornadoestornadoes and storm surges storm surges often occur in areas the places where hurricaneshurricanes make landfall.

Landfall•The strength of the wind can tear down trees and flatten buildings.

•Hurricanes can also cause a rise in the ocean level, or storm surge, which can drive the sea far inland

•Hurricane Andrew landfall in Florida in August 1992.

•More than 100,000 homes were damaged such as this trailer park that was flattened.

To help distinguish between stormsstorms, in the early fifties, hurricaneshurricanes were named. Until 1978 only the names of women were used. In 1979, that system changed. At that time, both of men and women’s names were used.

Some are small and others quite large. But whatever the case, hurricaneshurricanes are the mightiest of all stormsstorms. In the center of a hurricanehurricane is an eyeeye. Warm water helps hurricaneshurricanes gain strength. When the hurricane hurricane makes landfall, they normally weaken.

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The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale which divides hurricanes hurricanes into five categories depending on how strong they are and by their wind speed. wind speed. The scale was created in 1969 by Herbert Saffir and Dr. Bob Simpson of the National National Hurricane CenterHurricane Center.

When the windswinds in this type stormstorm range from 35 to 54 miles an hour, it is called a tropical tropical depressiondepression. When the winds winds are from 55 to 74 miles an hour then it is called a tropical storm. tropical storm. When it reaches 74 miles an hour, it is called a hurricanehurricane. The storm surge storm surge is also measured into the Saffir-Simpson Scale Saffir-Simpson Scale

On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane ScaleSaffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, a category one hurricane category one hurricane has winds winds ranging from 75 to 95 miles an hour with a 4 to 5 foot storm storm surge. Category two surge. Category two have winds winds from 96-110 miles an hour with storm surges storm surges from 6 to 8 feet. Category Category 3 hurricanes hurricanes have windswinds from 111-130 miles an hour with storm surges storm surges from 9-12 feet. Category 4 hurricanes Category 4 hurricanes have strong winds winds from 131-155 miles an hour with storm surges storm surges from 13-18 feet. The strongest hurricanehurricane is a category 5 category 5 storm. storm. It has winds winds 156 mile an hour winds with storm surges storm surges 18 feet and above.

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane ScaleSaffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

CategoryCategory Wind speed Wind speed (mph)(mph)

Storm surge Storm surge (feet)(feet)

55 156156 More than18More than18

4 131–155 13–18

3 111–130 9–12

2 96–110 6–8

1 74–95 4–5

Additional classificationsAdditional classifications

Tropical stormTropical storm 39–7339–73 0–30–3

Tropical Tropical depressiondepression 0–380–38 00

One key factor about hurricaneshurricanes is the importance of hurricanehurricane safety.safety. The people were encouraged to listen to the warningswarnings and prepare for the stormsstorms. In 1900, Galveston, Texas was the target of a hurricane hurricane and storm surgestorm surge. The town was flattened overnight and 6,000-12,000 people died because they were not prepared for the storm. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 Galveston Hurricane of 1900 is known as the deadliest HurricaneHurricane ever to hit the United States.

Technology through the years have helped hurricanehurricane areas prepare. HurricanesHurricanes evacuationevacuation announcements announcements can be heard and seen on the television, radio or even on the internet.

When hurricaneshurricanes hit, problems range from trees and power lines knocked down, ruined agricultural crops, accidents of all types and even death.

So, the most important thing to remember is to be prepared and listen for weatherweather updates as hurricaneshurricanes move toward your area. EvacuationEvacuation is the key factor that may save your life during a hurricanehurricane headed toward you and your family.

August 29, 2005

•Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. on August 29, 2005.

•Winds of 140 mph created a 30-foot storm surge.

•Water breached the dam that protected the city of New Orleans and flooded the low-lying coastlines of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.

•With the damage estimated at more than $200 million, and more than one million people forced to leave their homes, Katrina is the most expensive and most destructive natural disaster in U.S. history.

Damage to Long Beach, MS

Hurricane Katrina 2005

Russell Ave.

Best Western Hotel Slab

McDonald’s sign still stands but restaurant is gone.

Damage to Long Beach, MS

Hurricane Katrina 2005

My grandmother’s house was here on this concrete slab.

This is the view from her driveway to the beach.