Cause of hurricanes
Hurricanes are incredibly powerful storms with a series of moths that they form in.
Yvin Joseph
Thomas Yon
Thomas Yon
To explain a hurricane… It is when a storm's maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph. It is THEN a storm would be labeled a hurricane. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating, or category, based on a hurricane's maximum sustained winds. The higher the category goes, the worse the damage will be. Hurricanes originate in the Atlantic basin, which includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico, the eastern North Pacific Ocean, and, less frequently, the central North Pacific Ocean. Hurricane names, updated and maintained by the World Meteorological Organization, is used to identify these storms. "Hurricane Season" begins on June 1 and ends on November 30, however hurricanes have occurred outside of this time frame. NOAA's National Hurricane Center predicts and tracks these massive storm systems, which may occur often 12 times a year in the Atlantic basin. Hurricanes are intense low pressure areas that form over warm ocean waters in the summer and early fall. Their source of energy is water vapor which is evaporated from the ocean surface.
The way hurricanes form is, when water from the ocean condenses in the air it releases energy as heat. This is the very energy that will intensify and drive that baby storm into a tropical storm or full-on hurricane. The condensation is also what produces all the rain that comes with a hurricane, and the heat released helps the storm itself rise in the air. As it rises, it sucks up surface air, which creates a low pressure area in the center, also known as the 'eye' of the hurricane. This is why if you're under the eye of the storm, the weather is eerily calm compared to the strong winds and heavy rain you would experience under other areas of the storm! A hurricane is like a giant, self-sustaining heat engine - it keeps itself going unless the process is stopped. Condensation of the ocean water releases heat, which draws moist air from the ocean up into the eye of the storm. The moist air cools, which means there is more condensation, which leads to more heat being generated. This brings additional moist air up from the ocean, which cools and condenses. And you can see how this could continue on indefinitely! Water vapor is the "fuel" for the hurricanes because it releases the "latent heat of condensation" which means it’s hidden until it condenses to form clouds and rain, warming the surrounding air. (This heat energy was absorbed by the water vapor when it was evaporated from the warm ocean surface, cooling the ocean in the process.) Hurricanes only develop over oceans and tend to dissipate once they hit land. |
However a lot of scientists believe climate change may have something to do with it. The way climate change would affect the hurricane and make it stronger is… Climate change works to heat the ocean and increase the sea levels. In turn, that helps to make the hurricane more devastating: more heat helps propel the power of the hurricane, leading to the kind of destruction that has made its way across the Americas twice over the last week. "For climate change, it’s important to note that climate change has already caused higher sea levels, so any storm surge is happening on top of a higher initial level, leading to more coastal flooding," said Chris Holloway, a tropical storm expert at the University of Reading. This is saying that because of climate change it is rising sea levels to unprecedented levels. Which will cause a bigger storm surge in the hurricanes. Scientists are quick to point out that Harvey and Irma would have been big storms before the atmosphere and oceans started warming dramatically about 75 years ago. But now storms are apt to grow bigger. That's because the oceans and atmosphere are, on average, warmer now than they used to be. And heat is the fuel that takes garden-variety storms and supercharges them.
To be safe during hurricanes there are many ways to prepare/ be safe. Before a hurricane houses need to be protected if there are large trees make sure to get them cut to avoid damage to property. Attach wood or shutters over windows and doors to protect from debris. During the storm stay indoors and listen to the local radio for updates on the storm and listen to the instructions by the authority. After the storm stay clear of flood water there can be many dangers, electricity, diseases, and possibly drowning. Hurricanes are a natural part of a Floridians life, yet this years storms are far closer together than other reported storms.
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