Predicting Hurricanes
Predicting hurricanes is tricky business. Meteorologists (scientists who study the weather) use a number of tools to assist them with their predictions. Computer models use various weather data to suggest likely paths of hurricanes, changes in intensity, and the risk of damage. Satellites and on-the-ground meteorological centers gather data that is analyzed by computers and meteorologists. Hurricane hunters, specially trained pilots, also fly into the storms to gather first hand data.
Birth of a Hurricane
In the Northern Hemisphere hurricane season is officially June 1 - Nov 30th.
Hurricanes develop in tropical regions with areas of low pressure, where temperatures are warm, and winds are converging (go towards each other). Most storms that affect the Eastern United States begin with disturbances that come off of the coast of Africa. |
Factors that affect hurricane strength
What strengthens hurricanes?
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What weakens hurricanes?
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Warm water evaporates more quickly and adds additional moisture into the air, this makes the storms stronger.
Upper level wind shear will blow the moisture of the area out over a large area and weaken the storm
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Moist air provides more "fuel" for the storms - dry air will weaken the storms surrouding the eye
Land provides less moisture to fuel the storms, so once a storm is over land, it begins to weaken
Now that you know the conditions that strengthen and weaken a hurricane
Can you create a hurricane? |
Factors that affect the path of a hurricane
Hurricanes are not able to steer themselves, but are controlled by winds in the region where they form.
In general, hurricanes in the Atlantic ocean move from East to West, carried by the trade winds.
Smaller scale winds, called high and low pressure systems, will cause storms to curve in a northern path. The Bermuda High is a high pressure system that is usually centered over Bermuda during the summer.
In general, hurricanes in the Atlantic ocean move from East to West, carried by the trade winds.
Smaller scale winds, called high and low pressure systems, will cause storms to curve in a northern path. The Bermuda High is a high pressure system that is usually centered over Bermuda during the summer.
Hurricane Information Sources:
- https://blog.ucsusa.org/brenda-ekwurzel/hurricane-watch-checklist-four-factors-that-strengthen-and-four-that-weaken-tropical-cyclones
- http://www.hurricanescience.org/science/science/development/
- https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/hurricane6.htm
- http://www.aoml.noaa.gov
- https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10069