Parts of a Hurricane

Ever wondered what the parts of a hurricane are? Probably not, but it's good to know, anyway.

The Eye-

Well, you see, a hurricane has to see where it is going, so using a structure similar to a human eye, it... okay, just kidding. The eye is to the hurricane as the inner core is to the Earth (try and figure out the analogy...). Got it? Yes, it means that the eye is in the center of the hurricane. This is also the calmest area of the hurricane. It is usually around twenty miles long.

The Eye Wall-

This is a ring of thunderstorms about 15 miles wide around the eye. It is the opposite of the eye (in terms of calmness), since it is the most destructive part of the storm.

Spiral Rain Bands-

They are curved bands of clouds that move away in a spiral movement, and also bands of thunderstorms that circulate outward from the eye.

These are the basic parts of a hurricane.

Hurricane Katrina

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Hurricane Katrina Stats:

• It was the costliest and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history.
• It was the sixth strongest Atlantic hurricane overall.
• At least 1,836 people died in the hurricane.

Hurricane Ike

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Hurricane Ike Facts:

• Hurricane Ike was the largest hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic basin.
• It was the third most destructive hurricane to make landfall in the United States.
• It started as a tropical disturbance near Africa in late August, 2008.
• On September 1, 2008, it became a tropical storm west of the Cape Verde islands.
• By September 4, 2008, it was a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h), making it the most intense Atlantic storm of 2008.
• On September 7, it passed the Turks and Caicos Islands as a Category four hurricane with maximum wind speeds of 135 mph(217km/h).
• It passed through Cuba as a Category 4 hurricane (September 7) and then as a Category 1 hurricane (September 9).
• Though Ike made its final landfall over Galveston, Texas as a Category 2 hurricane, its storm surge was equivalent to that of a Category 5 storm.
• Ike was blamed for at least 195 deaths.
• The storm caused millions of dollars worth of damage in many areas.
• It was the cause of the biggest evacuation in Texas history and the biggest search-and-rescue operation in U.S. history.
• On Grand Turk Island, 95% of the homes were damaged.

How is the Strength of a Hurricane Measured?

Hurricanes' strength is measured by the Saffir-Simpson scale. What is this, you ask?


The Saffir- Simpson scale is...


the scale used to measure the severity of hurricanes.


That's simple, right? Maybe you've heard people say on the news "category 3", "category 5", or maybe even "category 52" (Okay, that's impossible. Get the point, though?). How is this measured, though? It has to do with wind speed(self explanatory, right?0) and storm surge(according to Answers.com:"A rise above normal water level on the open coast due only to the action of wind stress on the water surface; includes the rise in level due to atmospheric pressure reduction as well as that due to wind stress. Also known as storm wave; surge.") Look at the graph and it will probably make sense to you.

How Are Hurricanes Formed?

What conditions are needed?

In order for a hurricane to form, there must be warm temperatures, low air pressure, tropical winds, and moist ocean air.

Where and when do they form?

Hurricanes form over water in the tropics where the water is warmer than 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 27 degrees Celsius and in between the latitudes of 8 and 20. Most of them form in hurricane season, which is from June to November.

What powers the storm?

They are fueled by heat energy that is released when water vapor condenses into rain. Hmm... does that mean that the more heat energy there is, the more strength the hurricane will have?

Stages a Hurricane Goes Through

1. Tropical Wave-a westward moving area of low air pressure

2. Tropical Disturbance- formed when moist, warm air over the ocean rises into the area of low air pressure and cold air from above replaces it; produces strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderclouds

3. Tropical Depression- when air pressure drops and there are sustained winds at a speed of up to 38 mph

4. Tropical Storm- when cyclonic winds have sustained speeds from 38-73 mph

5. Hurricane- when there are sustained winds of over 73 mph

The End

When a hurricane travels over land

or cold water, its energy source is gone.

This causes the storm to weaken and quickly

die.

How Hurricanes Form Animation

GoAnimate.com: How are hurricanes formed? by hurricane811

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What is a Hurricane?

According to Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary, a hurricane is:
"a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that occurs especially in the western Atlantic, that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning, and that sometimes moves into temperate latitudes"
What causes these storms? Does temperature have an affect on their strength? Keep reading this blog to find out.
You may have even experienced a hurricane such as Hurricane Ike or Hurricane Katrina. I am going to research all about the tropical cyclones that we call hurricanes and share my findings on this blog, as well as answer this question:
Does the temperature of the water over which a hurricane reaches its strongest point affect strength of a hurricane?