Hurricanes

Hurricanes form in summer and fall when sea surface temperatures are 28°C (82°F) or higher. The warm ocean creates a large humid air mass which rises and forms a low pressure cell, known as a tropical depression. Thunderstorms form around the tropical depression. The air begins to rotate around the low pressure, and as it rises, water vapor condenses and releases energy from latent heat. 

Hurricanes cause damage due to high winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge. Storm surge occurs as the storm's low pressure center makes landfall, causing the sea level to rise unusually high. A storm surge is often made worse by the hurricane's high blowing winds. Flooding can be devastating, especially along low-lying coastal areas such as the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. 

The 2005 hurricane season was the longest, costliest and deadliest hurricane season so far. Total damage from all storms that year combined was estimated at more than $128 billion, with more than 2,280 deaths. Hurricane Katrina was the most destructive and the costliest. 


Watch the following video.

Source: Hurricanes. Retrieved from http://www.ck12.org/earth-science/Hurricanes/lesson/Hurricanes/ on January 25, 2014. 

Last modified: Thursday, 16 February 2017, 2:25 PM