1. Severe Weather
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2. Do Now……
Q: Explain how the temperatures of the ocean currents affect the weather/climate A:

3. What is severe weather?
Weather that can cause serious property damage and sometimes death
Three main forms that affect Florida –
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes
Hurricanes

4. What are the characteristics of a thunderstorm?
Small, intense weather system that produces strong winds, heavy rain, lightning, and thunder
Two atmospheric conditions must be present: 1) warm moist air rising
2) unstable atmosphere which is when the air is colder than the rising air mass (COLD FRONT)

5. What causes lightning and thunder?
Lightning is created by an electrical discharge between a positive and negative area
Lower in clouds = negative
Higher in clouds = positive
Land = positive
Thunder is a result of rapidly expanding air
Lightning strikes, heats up air, expands quickly, vibrates and releases sound wave

8. What are the characteristics of a tornado?
Destructive, rotating column of air that has very high speed winds and is sometimes a visible funnel-shaped cloud
Only becomes visible as the tornado picks up dust from the ground or from the air
Forms when a thunderstorm meets with horizontal winds; winds cause the thunderstorm to spin

11. What are the characteristics of a hurricane?
Tropical low-pressure system with winds blowing at speeds of 119 km/h (74 mi/h) or more
Ranked into Category based upon wind speed – 1 = weakest, 5 strongest
As long as it stays above warm water, it can grow bigger and more powerful
Called typhoons when they form over the Western Pacific; called cyclones when they form over the Indian Ocean

13. What are the characteristics of a hurricane?
Hurricane winds can lift cars, uproot trees, and tear roofs off buildings
When a hurricane moves into a coastal area, it pushes a huge amount of ocean water known as a storm surge; causes large waves, sea level rises, backs up rivers, and floods the shores

15. Totally Random…
Tropical Storms (which may form into hurricanes) are assigned names to better identify them while tracking them
Uses the letters in order of the alphabet (new set each year); Alternates Boy/Girl
Example: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian
Katrina (2005) = Category 4-3 at landfall
Andrew (1992) = Category 5
Only 32 Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes have EVER formed; only 3 have made landfall at a Cat 5 in FL

18. National Hurricane Center