Hurricanes
By Jarry Ahmad
Hurricanes are very dangerous and catastrophic storms. They are caused when warm, moist air over the ocean rises up from near the surface and creates low air pressure above the water. The high air pressure from the surrounding areas fills in where the low air pressure is and then that air becomes warm and rises too. As the warm air continues to rise, the air around it begins to swirl to take its place. When the warm, moist air cools off, clouds are formed, and the whole system of clouds and wind continues to spin and grow. As the storm spins faster and faster, an eye forms in the center. It is very calm in the eye and it is filled with low air pressure.
If the winds in the storm reach 39 mph, it is called a tropical storm but if the winds reach 74 mph, the storm is classified as a hurricane. When hurricanes hit land, they usually move far into it and pour inches of rain along with severe gusts of wind. Hurricanes are categorized into 5 categories; category 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. This chart explains the potential damage caused by each category:
Hurricanes only occur on coastal lines. They can only occur in warm waters be cause heat is needed to produce hurricanes so they usually form around the equator. The direction in which hurricanes usually travel is west. In the eastern world, hurricanes are called cyclones and typhoons.
The only way in which to prepare for a hurricane is to pack your most important belongings and evacuate the city. Hurricanes demolish can demolish anything in their path including even the most sturdy houses or buildings. There are two satellites called GOES above the earth monitoring it for hurricanes. With this technology, scientists can warn cities about hurricanes before hand so there isn’t a last minute evacuation.
Hurricanes have occurred countless times in the past but the most recent and most well remembered one was Hurricane Katrina, a category 4 hurricane. Hurricane Katrina...