Hurricanes Essay, Research Paper

1.Tornadoes travel at an average of 45 mph with a diameter between 150 and 600 meters and maximum wind speeds up to 600 km/hr. Middle latitude cyclones can span across a continent and usually require 2-4 days to cross a region. Hurricanes range in speed from 119 km/hr to sometimes over 250 km/hr and average close to 600 km across.

2.The months from August through October are when hurricanes usually strike North America. When the ocean water temperature is warm and combines with the hot air and moisture that accompany the summer months, hurricane formations possible.

3.a. The enwind speeds of a hurricane near the equator aren’t sufficient enough to provide the rotary motion due to the weakness of the Coriolis effect.

b. Tornadoes are generally smaller in size and don’t cover as much area as a hurricane. Hurricanes last for days compared to maybe an hour or three for a tornado.

4.Hurricanes can be detected long before they strike and coastal citizens can evacuate and have a chance to secure their stores and homes prior to the storm. Tornadoes, on the other hand, strike quickly with little or no warning.

5.Population growth on the coasts has exceeded the technology of warning forecasts. Large residential communities don’t have enough time to prepare for a hurricane.

6.a. A tropical depression is when a cyclones wind speed doesn’t reach 61 km/hr whereas a tropical storm’s wind speeds range form 61-119 km/hr.

b. A category-2 hurricane produces moderate damage with powerful winds of about 100 km/hr and a Category-5 hurricane has thrusting winds of over 250-km/hr cause catastrophic damage with its surge 18 feet or more.

c. The eye is the very center of the storm where the eye wall is a donut shaped wall of intense connective activity surrounding the eye and producing the strongest winds and heavy rain.

7.On July 15, a tropical disturbance advanced to a tropical storm in the Northern portion of the Indian Ocean with speeds at the eye close to 70 km/hr. On July 17, the tropical storm was “upgraded” to a hurricane as the storm moves toward the island of Sri Lanka with speeds over 150 km/hr. On July 18, with wind speeds in excess of 180 km/hr, Hurricane Luigi swept across the northern tip of Sri Lanka and is set to devastate the cities of Madurai of Tiruchchirapalli with its high winds. July 19, Luigi breaks up the coast sparing the afore mentioned cities. Nearing a category-5 classification, Luigi eyes the city of Madras, as it’s next victim. On July 20, Luigi, now a category-5 hurricane with wind speeds of 265 km/hr, hooked to the west just before the eye reached Madras and headed inland toward Bangalore. July 21, Luigi dies out as residents in Southern India begin to rebuild.