HurricanesRed

Hurricanes
Sean M. Red Class

Introduction Hurricanes are cyclones that form over water that is 79 degrees or more. They have high winds that, depending on the category, can cause a-lot of damage. Using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale (has category's ranging from 1 to five, five being the most destructive) we can determine the type of hurricane. There are a few parts of a hurricane but the one we typically associate hurricanes with is the eye. These storms start near the Equator. Hurricanes spin counter clockwise and head North, while the storms that heas South of hte Equator are called Typhoon's Saffir-Simpson Scale (link below) http://serc.carleton.edu/eslabs/hurricanes/2a.html

media type="youtube" key="H9VpwmtnOZc?fs=1" height="294" width="369" align="center"

Dangers Hurricanes have very high winds that can reach speeds of 160 mph or more. This can easily destroy house. As you can see in the video above, there are houses being torn apart and boats are being thrown out of the water. There are also storm surges and heavy rain with flooding. These can cost thousands of dollars in expenses because of the destroyed property.

Conditions of Formation Nobody can be sure how a hurricane is formed but there are two main factors to make one, warm water that exceeds 79 degrees, and it must have low pressure. When a hurricane comes off of the water it may lose strength and disapate.

Historical Examples Hurricane Katrina was one of the most deadliest hurricanes to strike the south. Hurricane Katrina took place on August 29, 2005 in New Orleans and lasted until August 31, 2005. Winds reached speeds of 175 mph. It caused about $81 billion dollars in damage. A portion of New Orleans still has not been re-built.



Safety

Safety is a big concern for people during a hurricane. You needed to make sure you are protected from flying debris that can hurt or even kill you. Depending on the severity of the storm, some people take the precaution of boarding up windows and securing any object that can become a projectile during high winds. People who live in low lying areas are subject to flooding as well. These people should learn the evacuation routes in case of an emergency so they can get to the safety of higher grounds. Those that decide to stay in their houses should make sure they have an abundance of food, water, flashlights and candles in case they lose power. DO NOT GO OUTSIDE FOR ANY REASON.

 Sources New York State Office of Emergency Managment, 2006, [|http://www.semo.state.ny.us/program] National Geographic, 8/2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9VpwmtnOZc