Kenzie+L+and+Jimmy+P

====

HURRICANE STATS
=Strength=
 * HURRICANE**: A hurricane is a high speed storm accompanied by terenchial rains and excessive wind, devastating to many homes, building, and residential areas.


 * Tropical Depression:** 38 mph winds or less, a group of clouds and some thunderstorms with slight circulation.
 * Tropical Storm:** 39-73 mph winds or less, an organzied group of thunder storms moving in a circular motion.
 * Hurricanes:**
 * category one- 74-95 mph winds
 * category two- 96-110 mph winds
 * category three- 111-130 mph winds
 * category four- 135-155 mph winds
 * category five-winds >155 mph

Winds can gust up to 225 mph in a hurricane and the smaller the eye, the stronger the storm. Hurricanes gain the majority of their strength from heat and water vapor coming from the sea's surface, generally waters warmer than 79 degrees. The eye of the hurricane is an area of low pressure, the lowest in fact ever recorded by a barometer.

=Terms=


 * Hurricane Watch:** Hurricane is possible within a day and a half, public is located to stay on alert.
 * Hurricane Warming**: Hurricane is expected within the next 24 hours and the public may be told to evacuate.
 * Storm Surge**: A build up of water off the coast that comes inland at a fast speed in the form of large waves and strong currents.

=Size and speed= =Path and Direction= =Parts of a Hurricane=
 * Hurricanes ususally travel about 20-25 mph.
 * Hurricanes are areas of low pressure
 * Diameter of the eye is usually between 10-30 miles wide.
 * Hurricanes themselves can be up to 500 miles in diameter.
 * Hurricanes form at sea and then slowly move towards one of the poles and become less powerful as they go over land and cooler areas.
 * On average, ten tropical storms form each year, and six are Hurricanes, out of these six, five will strike on the coast of the U.S in three years.
 * Hurricanes are steered by the easterly trade winds, the temperate westerlies, the sea, and their own winds and energy.
 * Hurricanes are slowed when they travel over islands due to the friction that is generated.


 * Eye of the Storm**: The eye is the calmest and warmest part of a hurricane, located directly in the center. There are light to no rains and generally clear skies.
 * Eye Wall:** The eye wall is the solid cloud of thunderstorms surrounding the eye that has the most intense rain and wind, and is approx. 15 miles wide.
 * Rain Bands:** The rain bands are the bands of clouds surrounding the eye, that resemble a spiral. The rain in the spiral clouds get heavier as they get closer to the eye.

=Hurricane Formation=

media type="youtube" key="SpJi0tcSExs" Turn up the volume! (its funny AND educational!)



The areas in purple are places hurricanes form, and the arrows are their general path. Warm air from the ocean surface begins to rise, as this warm air rises water vapor condenses and creates storm clouds and rain. This makes heat that warms the cold air above and causes it to rise. This rising air is replaced by more warm air from the ocean. This continues pulling more air into the storm, until it begins to circulate creating an organized storm.

=Bermuda High=

The Berumuda high is an area of high air pressure near the islands of Bermuda. If the Bermuda high is big during a hurricane, the hurricane will virtually bounce off and head towards South America. If it is a small Bermuda high it will continue to go north in the Atlantic ocean. If it is moderately sized it will go up the east coast of the United States.

=References= www.youtube.com http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/coriolis/hurricanearchives.html Class notes- Forward Speed 9/19/06 Earth Science Text Book- Chapter