Hurricane Essay - 1485 Words

Lee Chapman October 26, 2009 Essay Assignment GE-253 Hurricanes Have you ever heard tropical storms pushing winds up to 200 mph and causing destruction everywhere? A true beast of nature we call a hurricane. These hurricanes can show up at any time to make a mess of things. To fully understand hurricanes we have to peer into the history, calculate the physics, plot the storm’s movements and actions, respect the power of such storms, and prepare ourselves if a storm is headed our way. A lot of hurricanes have happened up until now learning the history of these storms will help create a better understanding of them. The first hurricane recorded was in 1494 while Christopher Columbus was on his second voyage. The most devastating tropical†¦show more content†¦For example category 1 hurricanes can create 4 to 5 foot waves and category 5 hurricanes can carry waves higher than 18 feet. Also a hurricane with 150 mph winds can put 11 tons of pressure on anything it hits. Tropical storm have been known to smash houses, sweep cars of the road, and over taking boats to push them on to land. 15 foot trees have rip from the earth and hurricanes have spawned tornadoes. There is also an occasional flash flood here and there. To avoid such potential chaos there are signs in which to prepare for the worst. Warning signs are the best ways to let people that something is going to happen. Like all weather hurricanes give off little hints that it is coming. For starters tropical disturbances form over the ocean every three to four days from the coast of Africa as tropical waves. At first the day is like any other normal day, 72 hours before landfall. Then the ocean’s waves change to bringing in 6 feet deep waves every nine seconds, 48 hours before landfall. Waves are getting deeper to 9 feet every 8 seconds, 36 hours before landfall. Signs of an actual storm appear barometer is falling, wind is picking up speed, and waves are getting deeper with more frequency. Then there is a large white mass approaching the coast. Evacuation orders are given to avoid major problems 30 hours before landfall. Hurricanes have a pretty good track record so we are more likely to know where they will go. Tracking a storm canShow MoreRelatedEssay On Hurricanes945 Words   |  4 PagesThe 2017 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The area covers the North Atlant ic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The National Weather Service defines a hurricane as an intense tropical weather system with well-defined circulation and sustained winds of 74 mph or higher. Families in the states of Texas along the coast all the way up to Main have had to make a decision about what to do with their lives†¦leave or stay? 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