1. Morgan Larson and Livia Koehler
2017 Hurricane Season
Morgan Larson and Livia Koehler

2. What is a Hurricane?
A tropical cyclone with winds greater than 74 mph and that circulates counterclockwise about their centers in Northern hemisphere (clockwise in Southern hemisphere)
Hurricane Irma

3. Conditions for Development & Stages
Tropical Depression (winds < 39 mph)
Tropical Storm (winds between mph)
Hurricane (winds > 74 mph)
Development conditions
Forms in warm ocean waters with temperatures over 80 degrees fahrenheit
The water must be deep (200 feet or more)
Located at least a few degrees north or south of the equator
Can never cross the equator (no rotating air forces)
Develops from pre-existing disturbances
Tracking hurricanes using aerosols
Tropical Storm= When storm is named
Hurricane Harvey

4. Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Category 1
Winds: mph
Surge: 4-5 ft
Damage: minimal
Home damage: some
Power outages: days
Category 2
Winds: mph
Surge: 6-8 ft
Damage: moderate
Home damage: major
Power outages: weeks
Category 3
Winds: mph
Surge: 9-12 ft
Damage: extensive
Home damage: major
Power outages: weeks
Category 4
Winds: mph
Surge: ft
Damage: extreme
Home damage: severe
Power outages: months
Category 5
Winds: 157 mph+
Surge: 19ft+
Damage: catastrophic
Home damage: destroyed

5. Major Hurricanes 2017 Harvey (August 17- September 1) Category 4
Winds reached 130 mph
Hit Texas, Louisiana
$ billion in damages
Record for most rainfall in US inches of rain over four days
Irma (August 30- September 13)
Category 5
Winds reached 185 mph- 37 hours
Hit Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Caribbean islands
$ billion in damages
Maria (September 16-30)
Category 5
Winds reached 175 mph
Hit Puerto Rico and Caribbean Islands
$90-95 billion in damages
Jose (September 5-22)
Category 4
Winds reached 155 mph
Hit Caribbean islands
$2.84 billion in damages
17 storms, 10 hurricanes and 6 major hurricanes
Lack of an El Nino system, wind, and unusually warm Atlantic temperatures

6. How Hurricanes Cause Damage
High winds
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Storm surge
Water rises above normal tide
Extreme rainfall
Flash flooding causes 59% of deaths
Location
Gulf and Caribbean
Optimal locations for larger hurricanes
Time of year
June 1- November 30
Most dangerous: mid- October due to low wind
Preparedness
Evacuation
Prevent property damage
Climate Change

7. Hurricane Safety Hurricane warning During Storm
Sustained winds of at least 73 mph are expected within 36 hours
Hurricane watch
Possibility of experiencing hurricane conditions within 48 hours
If winds are not to reach hurricane status, tropical storm warnings/watches are issued instead
Basic Preparedness Tips
Know evacuation routes/have a plan
Install permanent storm shutters or board windows with ⅝ inch plywood
Trim trees surrounding home
Fully fuel vehicles
Stock up on supplies- water, first aid kit, flashlights, radios, etc.
During Storm
Stay indoors, away from windows
Close interior doors
Keep curtains and blinds closed
Take refuge in small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level
Lie on floor under table/sturdy object
Move to higher grounds
Avoid contact with floodwater
Leave mobile homes and reside in shelter

8. Climate Change Affecting Hurricanes?
Weather disturbances
Higher than average ocean temperatures
Lack of wind shear
Very humid air- hold moisture, so less rain falls during normal storms
No El Nino/ El Nina
Melting Antarctic ice caps by 1.6 meters per year
Cause storms to be more intense and frequent
17 of 20 most destructive hurricanes (in US) have occured since worsening impact
Harvey
Caused greater rainfall
Greater air temperatures allowed air to hold more moisture
Rising sea levels made flooding more likely
Stalled the hurricane, which caused more damage to Houston
Irma
Rising sea levels made flooding chances greater
Average Florida temperature was 4/10th of a degree above normal
Slows weather patterns- stalling

9. Economic & Societal Damages
Harvey
Forced 25% of oil and gas production to shut down, affecting 5% of nationwide output
Affected 13 million people
88 people died
Affected employment
203,000 homes damaged
As people were recovering from Harvey, Irma began its destructive path
6.5 million Floridians were evacuated
102 people died
Threatened Florida’s produce crops- No. 2 produce grower
Could have done more damage- Floridians built better infrastructural buildings to better withstand the forces of a hurricane
Maria
70,000 people evacuated in Puerto Rico
64 people died- official count; supposedly higher by 1,000- due to certain causes of death and miscommunication
Flash-flooding causes 59% of deaths
Record for having two Category 4+ hurricanes in the same year affect US

10. 2017 Hurricane Season Overview
17 named storms
5th most active season (tied with 1936) since records began in 1851
All ten of the season's hurricanes occurred in a row
Tied for greatest number of consecutive hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic basin since records began in 1851
Costliest season on record, with a total of at least $283 billion in damages
About $100 billion higher than the total of the previous record holder (2005 season)
Historic hurricane season is June 1st- November 30th
2017 Season: April 19th (Tropical Storm Arlene) - November 9th (Tropical Storm Rina)
2017 Hurricane Season Overview
June 1st- November 30th= Hurricane Season because these dates historically describe the period of year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin
Hurricane Maria

12. References
browardcollegeblog.com/hurricane-safety-tips-2/
abcnews.go.com/US/hurricane-harvey-projected-2nd-costliest-storm-us-history/story?id=