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Hurricane Characteristics and Safety
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Hurricane Characteristics and Safety

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Questions and Answers

Hurricanes are called major hurricanes if they are at least a category ______ on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

3

Which of the following statements is true about hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons?

  • They represent different stages of development of the same storm, with hurricanes being the most powerful.
  • They are all large low-pressure systems, but they are differentiated by the latitude at which they form.
  • They are the same basic storm but are called by other names in different parts of the world. (correct)
  • They are fundamentally different storms, although they are all large and powerful.

    • Hurricanes do not form at or within 5°N or S of the equator because ______.

    the Coriolis effect is too weak

    Which of the following are true about the hurricane season in the Atlantic and U.S. Gulf Coast?

    <p>Hurricanes will form when sea-surface temperatures are at their warmest.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Barometric pressure, wind speed, storm surge, and storm damage are all used to classify hurricanes on the ______ scale.

    <p>Saffir-Simpson</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do Cape Verde-type hurricanes form?

    <p>They form from preexisting convective storms near the islands off northwest Africa.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following would be typical for a hurricane in the North Atlantic-Caribbean-Gulf of Mexico region?

    <p>It forms in the late summer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An easterly wave is a disturbance that develops within the ____ winds.

    <p>trade</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricane ____ was the third most deadly hurricane in US history.

    <p>Andrew</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does the breaking of windows normally precede the removal of a roof by a hurricane?

    <p>It allows the wind to tear up the house on the inside and lift the roof off.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the formation of an easterly wave lead to the development of a Cape Verde-type hurricane?

    <p>On the eastern side of the wave axis, low pressure can cause the formation of a tropical disturbance that grows as it moves west.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ______ are elongate, north-south oriented disturbances in the trade winds that are known to sometimes result in the formation of Cape Verde-type hurricanes.

    <p>Easterly waves</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In August 1992, Hurricane ______ began as a Cape Verde-type hurricane by moving off the western coast of Africa as a thunderstorm.

    <p>Andrew</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What causes the most hurricane-related deaths?

    <p>Poorly constructed buildings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The hurricanes that form from ______ that develop in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) are known as Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico-type hurricanes.

    <p>thunderstorms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ITCZ is _____ of the equator in January.

    <p>south</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are known to strongly influence the path of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean?

    <p>The changing strength of the Coriolis effect with latitude</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricane ____ dumped a tremendous amount of rain in Central America in October 1998, causing not only flooding but also deadly mudflows.

    <p>Mitch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the forecasting of hurricanes by the National Hurricane Center?

    <p>They have greatly improved hurricane forecasting, and that has saved thousands of lives by permitting timely evacuations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Caribbean-type hurricanes form by ______.

    <p>thunderstorms in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) that grow and strengthen as they are spun by the Coriolis effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in January that results in a shutting down of Caribbean-type hurricane formation?

    <p>South of the equator</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Conditions that favor Cape Verde- and Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico-type hurricanes include ____ sea-surface temperatures and ____ atmospheric pressure conditions in the Caribbean.

    <p>warm, low</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricane ______ started as a tropical depression on 22 October 1998 and grew to become one of the strongest category 5 hurricanes on record.

    <p>Mitch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What changes began in 1979 regarding the naming of hurricanes in the North Atlantic Basin?

    <p>Male names were used in addition to female names.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    True or false? The best way to study hurricanes is to concentrate solely on hurricane data.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What group is responsible for tracking and forecasting hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin?

    <p>The National Hurricane Center</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricanes in the Atlantic basin seem to have decades-long patterns of activity. Which long-term pattern below seems to be linked to this?

    <p>The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are true about the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index?

    <p>The ACE is a measure of the total energy output of a hurricane.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factors listed below are thought to increase the number of hurricanes that form in any one hurricane season?

    <p>Greater wetness in the western Sahel Region of Africa because a wetter surface provides more nuclei for hurricanes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are accurate about the naming of hurricanes in the North Atlantic basin?

    <p>When a hurricane is particularly deadly or destructive, the name is never used again.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When trying to understand the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, it is best to ______.

    <p>collect data and think not just about hurricanes but other processes as well</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) is ______.

    <p>an alternating pattern of colder and warmer sea-surface temperatures in the North Atlantic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index is ______.

    <p>a compilation of energy expended in a cyclone and in a season</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Hurricane Irene cause most of the deaths attributed to it?

    <p>Wind blowing down trees and inland flooding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricane evacuation warnings ______.

    <p>help to prevent deaths and should be taken seriously</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ______ live for a few days, have individual characteristics and personalities, and are therefore named after humans.

    <p>Hurricanes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are huge tropical cyclones called?

    <p>hurricanes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The massive amounts of water hurricanes push onshore form what is known as storm ______.

    <p>surge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Most of the damage from Hurricane Sandy was caused directly by ______.

    <p>storm surge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the people who ignore warnings to evacuate from the projected path of a hurricane?

    <p>Sometimes they die in the storm.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    True or false? Elevators are safe to use in natural disasters.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricanes are given human names because ______.

    <p>although they share many similarities, they each have their own individual characteristics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following accurately describe hurricanes?

    <p>They are huge tropical cyclones.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following sets of conditions are most favorable for hurricane formation?

    <p>Warm humid air, warm surface water, a location ~500 km (~300 mi) from the equator, and weak upper-level winds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are common hazards associated with hurricanes?

    <p>Tornadoes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do hurricanes need warm sea-surface temperatures to form?

    <p>It increases the amount of water vapor that can be stored in the atmosphere by warming the air from below.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the proper use of elevators during natural disasters?

    <p>They can become death traps, and it is best to avoid them.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Order the stages involved in forming a hurricane: (Place the first step at the top.)

    <p>A tropical disturbance forms from a low-pressure zone with a cluster of thunderstorms = 1 A tropical depression forms as surface winds strengthen and flow around and into the center of the storm = 2 A tropical storm forms as converging winds spiral up the core wall, and sustained surface-wind speeds exceed 63 km/hr (39 mph) = 3 Surface winds blowing into the center stop reaching the center, and sustained winds exceed 119 km/hr (74 mph) = 4</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ______ km/hr is the minimum wind speed needed for hurricane classification because it is the speed at which incoming winds do not reach the eye of the storm.

    <p>119</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Select all the conditions listed below that are ideal for hurricane formation.

    <p>Air must be warm, humid, and unstable enough to sustain convection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Clouds and rainfall in hurricanes are organized into ______ that move in rotating spirals around the center of a hurricane.

    <p>rain bands</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The air inside a hurricane is ascending, whereas just outside the storm the air is ______.

    <p>descending</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does the latent heat that fuels the formation of hurricanes come from?

    <p>The evaporation of warm sea-surface waters (27°C = 80°F)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the weather system to its description.

    <p>Tropical disturbance = it is a low-pressure zone with a poorly organized cluster of thunderstorms Tropical depression = it is a system with surface winds flowing around and into the center; wind speeds are less than 63 km/hr (39 mph) Tropical storm = this system has surface-wind speeds that exceed 63 km/hr (39 mph) with converging winds spiraling up the core wall; wind speeds are less than 119 km/hr (74 mph) Hurricane = it is a system with surface-wind speeds that exceed 119 km/hr (74 mph). Surface winds do not reach the center</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricane eyewalls contain the highest wind speeds because ______.

    <p>the biggest drop in air pressure occurs there</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens at wind speeds of about 119 km/hr (74 mph) that makes that speed the minimum for hurricane classification?

    <p>It is the speed at which the winds coming into the hurricane fail to reach the center of the storm, resulting in a calmer and clearer eye.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following accurately describe the structure of hurricanes?

    <p>They have convergent wind flow at low levels, rising convective clouds, and divergent winds at upper levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are there often clear skies around a hurricane?

    <p>The air diverging out of the top of the hurricane warms adiabatically as it sinks and evaporates clouds on its way down.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricanes have warm cores because ______.

    <p>air sinking in the eye is warming adiabatically</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Converging winds that rotate up around the center of hurricane without reaching the center form a(n) ______ around the core.

    <p>eyewall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the hazard posed by small (150 m) twisting vortices being pulled into the eyewall of a hurricane?

    <p>The side of vortices spinning in the same direction as the eyewall will blow even faster, as the eyewall wind speed is added to its own.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where are tornadoes most likely to form in a hurricane?

    <p>In the front-right quadrant, 80 to 500 km (50 to 300 mi) from the eye</p> Signup and view all the answers

    As stronger winds cause waves to grow larger, the amount of energy lost to ______ increases as the wind moves over the ocean.

    <p>friction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the inward drop in air pressure cause heat to be added to a hurricane that is over the ocean?

    <p>Air flowing inward warms adiabatically, causing additional heat to be added to the storm.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following accurately describe the eyewall of a hurricane?

    <p>Winds in it are spiraling upward.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The winds from a vortex moving in the same direction as a hurricane's direction will ______ the winds from the storm.

    <p>add to</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are true about hurricanes and the energy involved with them?

    <p>The kinetic energy of the winds is about half of our global electrical capacity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following hurricane characteristics favor the formation of tornadoes?

    <p>Large, intense, and strongly curving winds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following accurately describe the flow of energy in a hurricane?

    <p>Surface winds converging on the eyewall pick up additional heat from the ocean.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The inward drop in air pressure in a hurricane allows inward flowing air to ______ below the sea-surface temperature, which in turn allows more heat to flow in from the sea.

    <p>cool</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If a hurricane collides with a weather front, it will mix with colder air and can transform into a ______.

    <p>post-tropical cyclone</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The average hurricane generates energy at a rate that is ______ times greater than our worldwide capacity to generate electricity.

    <p>200</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following distinguish hurricanes from storms formed at higher latitudes?

    <p>They are not associated with fronts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The storms called hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean are called ______ in the Indian Ocean and ______ in the Western Pacific.

    <p>cyclones; typhoons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A hurricane that encounters an upper level trough will lose the power to its warm core and the storm transfers to a post-tropical ______ with a ______ core.

    <p>cyclone, cold</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hurricanes cannot cross the equator because ______.

    <p>they would lose their rotation as the Coriolis effect drops to zero</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Unlike storms formed at higher latitudes, ______ are unique in that warm air descends in their centers and wind speeds decrease with increasing height.

    <p>hurricanes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Hurricane Impact and Characteristics

    • Most deaths from Hurricane Irene resulted from wind damage and inland flooding.
    • Evacuation warnings are crucial to prevent casualties and should always be taken seriously.
    • Hurricanes, which can exhibit unique characteristics, are named after humans to reflect their individuality.
    • Defined as large tropical cyclones, hurricanes can cause extensive damage, primarily through storm surge.

    Formation and Development

    • Storm surge is caused by the vast amounts of water pushed onshore by hurricanes.
    • The stages of hurricane formation include the development of tropical disturbances, depressions, storms, and finally hurricanes, which maintain winds exceeding 119 km/h.
    • Ideal conditions for hurricane formation include warm, humid air, surface water temperatures above 27°C, and weak upper-level winds.

    Hazards and Safety Measures

    • Common hazards associated with hurricanes include storm surges, tornadoes, and inland flooding.
    • Elevators should not be used during natural disasters due to safety risks; they can become traps during emergencies.
    • Tornadoes can form within hurricanes, primarily in the right front quadrant of the storm.

    Energy Dynamics

    • Warmer sea-surface temperatures are crucial for hurricane formation as they allow for increased evaporation and heat transfer into the storm.
    • Hurricanes generate energy at rates around 200 times greater than global electricity generation capacity.
    • The inward drop in air pressure allows warmer air from the ocean to elevate heat, contributing to hurricane intensity.

    Structural Components

    • The eyewall of a hurricane contains the highest wind speeds and is characterized by spiraling winds.
    • Rain bands encircle the hurricane's center, where rainfall is most intense.
    • Cool descending air outside the storm creates clearer skies, while the region within experiences warm, ascending air.

    Classification and Naming

    • Hurricanes are classified on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with category 3 and above deemed major hurricanes.
    • They have different names based on geographical location: hurricanes in the Atlantic, typhoons in the Western Pacific, and cyclones in the Indian Ocean.

    Unique Considerations

    • Hurricanes cannot cross the equator due to the weakening of the Coriolis effect.
    • Conditions unique to hurricanes include a warm core that descends, leading to decreased wind speeds with increasing height.
    • The Atlantic hurricane season peaks when sea-surface temperatures are highest, with numerous storm formations occurring each year.

    Energy Flow and Environmental Interactions

    • The mixing of hurricanes with weather fronts can lead to transformations into post-tropical cyclones.
    • The inward flow of air contributes to additional heat absorption from the ocean, while heat is lost from rising air through radiation.
    • Turbulent energy interactions with existing weather systems can intensify storm characteristics and impact.

    Additional Facts

    • Hurricanes form from easterly waves within the trade winds, significantly affecting weather patterns.
    • The borometric pressure, wind speed, and storm surge are vital metrics for classifying hurricane intensity and potential damage.### Hurricane Formation and Characteristics
    • Hurricanes can develop from easterly waves, which are north-south oriented disturbances within trade winds.
    • They often emerge from preexisting convective storms near the islands off northwest Africa.
    • The subtropical jet stream can lead to the formation of hurricanes when cut-off loops descend to the surface.

    Seasonal and Spatial Patterns

    • Typical hurricanes in the North Atlantic-Caribbean-Gulf region form in late summer and can last from 1 to 30 days.
    • Hurricanes might initially move eastward before shifting south and then westward.
    • Cape Verde-type hurricanes develop off the western coast of Africa, while Caribbean-type hurricanes arise from thunderstorms in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).

    Notable Hurricanes

    • Hurricane Andrew was the third most deadly hurricane in U.S. history, causing significant destruction in Florida in August 1992.
    • Hurricane Mitch, which occurred in October 1998, was catastrophic in Central America, notably Honduras and Nicaragua.

    Hurricane Dynamics

    • The breaking of windows in a hurricane typically precedes roof removal, as it allows wind to tear the house structure and subsequently lift the roof.
    • The size and atmospheric conditions of hurricanes are influenced by ocean temperature and pressure systems.

    Factors Influencing Hurricane Path

    • The path of hurricanes is influenced by existing high- and low-pressure systems, trade winds, and the Coriolis effect.
    • The Bermuda High’s position affects hurricane trajectories; its smallest size suggests a tendency toward a specific path.

    Death Toll and Safety Measures

    • Poorly constructed buildings contribute significantly to hurricane-related fatalities.
    • The National Hurricane Center has improved hurricane forecasting, leading to timely evacuations and life savings.

    Naming and Classification

    • Since 1979, both male and female names have been used to name hurricanes, with names retired after extreme events.
    • The naming system includes using Greek letters for storms beyond the 21st named storm in a year.

    Climate Patterns and Hurricane Intensity

    • The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and temperature fluctuations influence long-term hurricane activity patterns.
    • Warmer sea-surface temperatures and wetter conditions in regions like the Western Sahel increase hurricane formation likelihood.

    Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE)

    • The ACE index measures the total energy output of hurricanes, providing insight into their intensity and longevity.
    • Hurricane Ivan (2004) exemplified high energy release compared to entire hurricane seasons.

    Research and Understanding

    • Understanding hurricanes requires studying broader climatic processes rather than focusing solely on hurricane data.
    • The Atlantic Multidecadal Variability involves alternating patterns of sea-surface temperatures affecting hurricane activity.

    Conclusion

    • Effective hurricane tracking and forecasting play crucial roles in minimizing damage and saving lives as patterns and intensities evolve due to climatic changes.

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    Description

    This quiz explores the impact, formation, and hazards of hurricanes. Learn about the vital characteristics of hurricanes, including storm surges and the importance of evacuation warnings. Understand the stages of hurricane development and the ideal conditions necessary for their formation.

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