By: Eleanor Joyce City of Salem Schools Weather Phenomena By: Eleanor Joyce City of Salem Schools

Hurricane activity in the United States. http://www.usgs.gov/themes/hurricane.gif

Satellite view of a hurricane in the Caribbean Sea http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/science/images/hurricane.jpg

Parts of the storm Winds are breezy at the edge of the storm and increase to a maximum in the eyewall. Winds are relatively light in the ‘eye’ itself.

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Table Damage Sustained Storm Resulting Winds Surge Category 1 74-95 mph 4-5ft Trees/Power Down Category 2 96-110 mph 6-8ft Sign, roof & building damage Category 3 111-130 mph 9-12ft Widespread damage/floods Category 4 131-155 mph 13-18ft Destruction buildings/floods Category 5 155+ mph 19+ft Catastrophic damage/floods Categories 3,4 & 5 are major hurricanes!

Hurricane Facts Tropical storms need warm water(at least 80 degrees) to grow The average hurricane uses as much energy in a day as the entire US in 6 months Hurricanes can not be stopped with nuclear weapons or cloud seeding

Why are hurricanes so destructive? 1. Wind 2. Rain 3. Storm Surge 4. Tornadoes

Wind damage

No Utilities

No Utilities Including lights, air conditioning, refrigeration, cooking, fans, television, stoplights, gasoline pumps, computers, clocks, banks (ATMs), freezers, refrigerators. Water and sewage treatment centers are also disabled. This creates major health problems. Getting drinking water is a problem

HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING

IT RAINS ONE INCH PER HOUR Slow moving storms can easily dump 15-20 inches of rain over a wide area. Debris clogs sewers and drainage ways. Flood waters contaminate drinking water High water forces insects, snakes and other wild animals to higher ground (your home). Flood damage not covered by home owners insurance.

Storm Surge Low pressure and converging winds raise sea levels under the hurricane. When the hurricane makes landfall, so does the higher sea level. Powerful waves ride on top of the surge. Storm surge destroys coastal buildings and inundates barrier islands. Storm surge can travel well inland through harbors, rivers, creeks and canals. Storm surge is responsible for the greatest loss of life from a natural disaster in US history, Galveston Is.

Storm Surge

Tornadoes Hurricanes often create tornadoes bringing even more severe damage to regions struck by hurricanes

Regions in the U. S that are in “tornado alley.” http://www.usgs.gov/themes/hurricane.gif

Tornadoes are called funnel clouds usgs photo

Map of South Asia and Southeast Asia showing the wind patterns of the winter and summer monsoons http://www2.crl.go.jp/ck/ck121/windprof/image/monsoon.gif

Working in the rice paddies Residents of Asia and Southeast Asia depend on the Monsoon rains to grow rice. http://www.nri.org/WSS-IWRM/Photos/India/paddy.jpg http://www.millenniumassessment.org/images/photos/rice.paddy.jpg

Bangladesh is often flooded during the monsoon season http://www.sdnbd.org/sdi/issues/climate_change/napa/images/image-flood.jpg http://www.oxfam.org.uk/atwork/emerg/images/Bangcard.jpg