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Hurricane
Combined
with the heat and moisture from warm ocean waters, a simple
thunderstorm becomes a powerful deadly force -- a hurricane.
Wind gusts exceeding 74 mph, personified by names Gert,
Floyd, Irene, Lenny and Maria, these hurricanes bear down
leaving many people without electricity, water or, worse,
without homes. With the Saffir-Simpson scale measuring the
hurricanes' intensity and potential for damage people receive
warnings that get them out of harms way in time. But a hurricane
is a strong force, evidence of our lack of stopping what
Mother Nature has planned. But with education about hurricanes
and their power, we can be prepared.
Being
prepared
USA Today's Weather Center offers information about preparing
for a hurricane.
If
evacuating your home is recommended:
- Heed
the warning!
- Plan
ahead where you will go -- choose a few places like an
out-of-town friend or designated shelter.
- Take
the phone number of these places with you.
- Take
a road map in case the weather forces you onto unfamiliar
roads.
- Do
not drive over standing water. Floods
may have damaged the roads and it will be harder to predict
water depth.
Prepare
a supply kit containing:
- A
first aid kit and necessary medications.
- Canned
food and opener in case of loss of refrigeration.
- Plenty
of water. (The Red Cross recommends three gallons of water
per person to last three days.)
- Flashlights,
a battery powered radio and extra batteries.
- Raingear,
sleeping bags, and protective clothing.
Protect
your property
The American Red Cross
mentions
the following as ways to protect your property:
- Make
a list of items to bring inside in the event of the storm.
- Keep
trees and shrubbery trimmed.
- Remove
any debris or loose items in your yard.
- Clear
loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
- Install
permanent hurricane shutters.
- If
you do not have permanent hurricane shutters, install
anchors for plywood (marine plywood is best) and predrill
holes in precut half-inch outdoor plywood boards so you
can cover the windows of your home quickly.
- Install
protection to the outside areas of sliding glass doors.
- Well
ahead of time, buy any other items needed to board up
windows and protect your home.
- Strengthen
garage doors.
- Have
an engineer check your home and advise about ways to make
it more resistant to hurricane winds.
- Elevate
coastal homes.
- If
you live in a flood plain or are prone to flooding, also
follow flood
preparedness precautions.
Hurricane
Q & A
What is a hurricane?
Hurricanes are formed from simple thunderstorms. However,
these thunderstorms can only grow to hurricane strength
with cooperation from both the ocean and the atmosphere.
Hurricanes are born over tropical oceans when the water
is warmer than about 80 degrees. The heat and moisture from
this warm water is ultimately the source of energy for hurricanes.
The winds from these storms exceed 74 mph and blow counter
clockwise about their centers in the northern hemisphere
and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Howling winds
around the hurricane's eye push water along, tending to
pile it up. In the deep ocean, this dome of water, called
a storm surge, sinks and harmlessly flows away. But as a
storm nears land, the rising sea floor blocks the building
water's escape and it comes ashore as a deadly storm surge.
An intense hurricane can send a dome of water more than
18 feet deep ashore as a storm hits land.
Why
do hurricanes weaken over land?
Hurricanes will weaken
rapidly when they travel over land or colder ocean waters
-- locations where their heat and/or moisture sources do
not exist.
What
is the difference between a watch and a warning?
A hurricane watch is issued
when hurricane conditions are possible within 24 to 36 hours.
A hurricane warning is issued when hurricane conditions
(winds of 74 mph or greater, or dangerously high water and
rough seas) are expected in 24 hours or less.
What
is the Saffir-Simpson scale?
Hurricanes are rated by
their potential for damage on a scale of one to five. Herbert
Saffir, a consulting engineer who specializes in wind damage
to buildings, and Robert Simpson, who was then director
of the National Hurricane Center, invented the scale during
the 1970s.
- 1
- minimal damage, winds 74-95 mph, storm surge 4-5 feet.
- 2
- moderate damage, winds 96-110 mph, storm surge 6-8 feet.
- 3
- extensive damage, winds 111-130 mph, storm surge 9-12
feet
- 4
- extreme damage, winds 131-155 mph, storm surge 13-18
feet.
- 5
- catastrophic damage, winds 155+ mph, storm surge 18+
feet
Why
do they name hurricanes?
Tropical storms and hurricanes
are given names to avoid confusion when more than one storm
is being followed at the same time. A storm is named when
it reaches tropical storm strength with winds of 39 mph.
Forecasters began using names in 1950. In that year and
in 1951, names were from the international phonetic alphabet
in use at the time - Able, Baker, Charlie, etc. Female,
English-language names were used beginning in 1953. 1979
was the first year when both male and female names were
used. If a hurricane is particularly destructive, the name
is "retired" and not reused.
What
is the difference between a tropical storm and hurricane?
Tropical
storms are classified into four categories according to
their degree of organization and maximum sustained wind
speed.
- Tropical
disturbance, tropical wave -- Unorganized mass of thunderstorms,
very little, if any, organized wind circulation.
- Tropical
depression -- Has evidence of closed wind circulation
around a center with sustained winds from 20-34 knots
(23-39 mph).
- Tropical
storm -- Maximum sustained winds are from 35-64 knots
(40-74 mph). The storm is named once it reaches tropical
storm strength.
- Hurricane
-- maximum sustained winds exceed 64 knots (74 mph).
Sources
cited: USA Today's On-line Weather Center, USA Today Weather
Book by Jack Williams and WW2010 - University of Illinois.
1999
Copyright (C) Horace Mann Educators Corporation.
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