Homework answers / question archive / Part 1 - Hurricane Basics Descending air Eye Warm, moist air Eyewall ? -Low pressure Tropical cyclones are like giant engines that use warm, moist air as fuel

Part 1 - Hurricane Basics Descending air Eye Warm, moist air Eyewall ? -Low pressure Tropical cyclones are like giant engines that use warm, moist air as fuel

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Part 1 - Hurricane Basics Descending air Eye Warm, moist air Eyewall ? -Low pressure Tropical cyclones are like giant engines that use warm, moist air as fuel. That is why they form only over warm ocean waters near the equator. Once the water is warm, it begins to heat the air above it. The warm, moist air over the ocean rises upward from near the surface. Because this air moves up and away from the surface, there is less air near the surface, causing an area of lower air pressure below. Air from the surrounding areas with higher air pressure pushes into the low pressure area. Then, that "new" air becomes warm and moist and also rises. As the warm air continues to ries, the surrounding air swirls in to take its place. As the warmed, moist air rises and cools off, the water in the air forms clouds. The whole system of clouds and wind spins and grows, fed by the ocean's heat and water evaporating from the surface. The warmest months of the year in the Carribbean are July and August because those are the months when the sun's light hits those latitudes most directly. But the waters around the Carribbean and the Gulf of Mexico don't reach their maximum temperatures until a month or two later because the high heat capacity of water causes it to warm up slowly. (Boiling a pot of water takes a while, right?) According to the chart below, which months of the year should be described as "hurricane seasone" for North America? According to the chart below, which months of the year should be described as "hurricane seasone" for North America? May 10 June 1 June 20 July 10 - Aug 1 Aug 20 Sept 10 Oct 1 Oct 20 Nov 10 Dec 1 Dec 20 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Number of Storms per 100 Years Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Hurricanes NOAA O August - October O February - April November - January O May - July QUESTION 2 1 points Save Answer Why do hurricanes occur most frequently during these months? T T T Arial 3 (12pt) T-E- E Path: P Words:0 QUESTION 3 1 points Save Answer NORTH AMERICA ASIA ASIA EUROPE North Pacific Ocean North Atlantic Ocean AFRICA Equator SOUTH AMERICA AUSTRALIA South Atlantic Ocean South Pacific Ocean Where hurricanes most often develop The paths most hurricanes follow Why do storms forming in the Atlantic Ocean (north of equator) often move toward the southeastern United States? T T T Arial 3 (12pt) T: - E- Path:p Words:0 3 points Save Answer QUESTION 4 First, go to https://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/ and search for 4 storms given below. Find the corresponding information for each storm and fill in the blanks. The first one for unnamed 1886 hurricane is done for you Note: Partial marking is allowed for this question. Hurricane Unnamed 1886 (Aug. 12 - Aug. 21) Camille 1969 (Aug. 14 - Aug. 22) Max Strength (Category) Max Wind Speed (knots) 4 130 Min Atmospheric Pressure (mb) 925 Andrew 1992 (Aug. 16 - Aug. 28) Katrina 2005 (Aug. 23 - Aug. 31) ----------------------- QUESTION 5 1 points Save Answer Why might lower atmospheric pressure related to faster wind speed? TT T Arial 3 (12pt) T- 'S Path:p Words:0 QUESTION 6 1 points Save Answer Part 3 - Storm Surges Wind and Pressure Components of Hurricane Storm Surge Storm motion Eye Wind-driven Surge Pressure-driven Surge (5% of total) Water on ocean-side flows away without raising sea level much As water approaches land it "piles up" creating storm surge ©The COMET Program Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides. This rise in water level can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas, particularly when storm surge coincides with normal high tide, resulting in storm tides of up to 20 feet or more Storm surge is produced by water being pushed toward the shore by the force of winds moving cyclonically around the storm. The impact on surge of the low pressure associated with intense storms is minimal in comparison to the water being forced toward the shore by wind. Watch this animation (by clicking here) to see how a storm affects a coastline. What happens to the sediment along the shoreline as the storm surge moves onto land? QUESTION 7 1 points Save Answer What are some ways houses along the coastlines can protect themselves from storm surges? T T T Arial 3 (12pt) T- Path: P Words:0 QUESTION 8 1 points Save Answer True or False: The side of the hurricane where winds are blowing onto land from the ocean should have the largest storm surge (compared to the side of the hurricane where winds are blowing off the land out to the ocean). True False