Hurricanes . . . Dangerous Storms You Need to Prepare For

© 2002 Carole Moore

 If you've ever seen a hurricane, you'd know how powerful one is. Hurricanes are strong tropical storms found in certain waters: parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

 Hurricanes need warm ocean water to thrive, and that's one of the reasons they are found only during hurricane season, which in the U.S. starts June 1st and ends Nov. 30th.

The Eye of a Hurricane

 Hurricanes have very strong winds that move in a counterclockwise direction. That means they turn in a circle the opposite way the hands of a clock do. The winds on the outside make a ragged circle and on the inside is what is called the hurricane's eye.

 The eye is usually calm, which means that the winds are not blowing hard. When a hurricane is moving, it can take a long time for the eye to pass over.

How Fast Is the Wind?

 Hurricane winds must be at least 74 miles per hour. But that's a mild hurricane. The winds can be much, much stronger and many times they are. Hurricanes are categorized according to the speed of the wind, which is called "velocity." Here are the hurricane categories:

 

 Category:  Wind Speed:

 One   74-95 miles per hour

 Two   96-110 miles per hour

 Three   111-130 miles per hour

 Four   131-155 miles per hour

 Five   Winds greater than 155 miles per hour

 Category Four and Five hurricanes are extremely destructive. Not very many homes or buildings are constructed to withstand such strong winds. When a hurricane with high winds approaches a coastal area, most people evacuate.

 But even a hurricane with lower wind speeds can be very destructive. One reason is that hurricanes can cause flooding because they bring not only heavy rains with them, but they also cause storm surges and cause rivers and other bodies of water to rise. One example of this was the storm called Hurricane Floyd, which hit Eastern North Carolina and caused severe floods. Many people whose homes were undamaged from the hurricane's winds lost them to the flooding caused by Floyd.

Watches and Warnings

 There are several stages to an approaching hurricane. The first one is called a hurricane watch. That means there is a hurricane approaching and it may hit in the next 36 hours.

 The second classification is called a hurricane warning. That means a hurricane could hit within 24 hours - or a day's time.

Preparing for a Hurricane

 If a hurricane is headed your direction, there are simple preparations you should take. Most people who live on the coast already know how to cope with hurricane warnings. Can you think of some important things you should do if a hurricane is coming?

Supplies:

There are some supplies you should keep handy in case of a hurricane:

 Canned food likes potted meat and Vienna sausages

 Peanut butter and jelly

 Crackers

 Things that do not require refrigeration or cooking

 Containers of drinking water

 Pet food, baby food and medicines

 First aid kit .

Preparations:

 Fill up your car's gas tank

 Have a way to transport your pets and put your pets someplace safe

 Fill bathtubs with water to use to flush your commodes

 Board up windows and place all loose items around the outside of your home in a safe and secure place (like trash cans, lawn furniture, etc.)

 Make sure you have plenty of batteries and a radio, as well as a flashlight, matches and a supply of candles

 A hurricane tracking chart is also handy. They can usually be obtained from the local newspaper

Hurricanes Can Be Deadly

 Hurricanes are not "fun." They can be very deadly. Many people have died in hurricanes: Hurricane Carla in 1961 killed 46 people when it hit the Texas coast. In 1965, Hurricane Betsy took 75 lives when it hit Florida and then turned and struck Louisiana.

 Hurricane Camille was one of the worst hurricanes of record. It hit the Gulf Coast, but caused flooding all the way to Virginia. With its 200 mile per hour winds, Camille was deadly, killing 250 people and causing hundreds of millions of dollars of damages. Camille struck in 1969.

 Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 killed hundreds in Mexico and Hurricane Andrew, which struck Florida in 1992, left billions of dollars in damages and is the most expensive hurricane ever to his the U. S.

 Most recently, Hurricane Floyd left floods in its wake and destroyed property in 13 states. North Carolina was the hardest hit.

Naming Hurricanes

 You probably noticed that hurricanes have names - just like people. The names are given each year at the beginning of the season and go in alphabetical order. Do you know which three letters of the alphabet don't have hurricane names?

 If you said Q, U and Z, you would be right. Hurricane names are used over and over, except for really destructive ones like Andrew, Camille and Gilbert. Those names are "retired" and not used again.

Where Can I Learn More About Hurricanes?

Here are some cool web sites offering more information about hurricanes:

FEMA has a lot of information on its web site and a section just for kids:

http://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htm

The NOAO has a pretty interesting site, but you might have to ask a grown-up to help you navigate it:

http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/

And, finally, the Miami Museum of Science has a nifty site with all kinds of interactive stuff you'll enjoy:

http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/

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