To what extent are the impacts of tropical storms more than just environmental (30 marks) A hurricane is an intense, rotating oceanic weather system that possesses maximum sustained winds exceeding 79mph. It forms and intensifies over tropical oceanic regions. They cause devastating effects in any areas that they make landfall and can cause governments billions of pounds to repair damages. Hurricanes form and intensify over oceanic regions. They require sea-surface temperatures of at least 26°C and the influence of the earth’s rotation to initiate a spinning circulation (Coriolis effect).
Chapter 26: Hurricane Camille Hurricane Camille was a disastrous storm with catastrophic damage including the destruction of many towns and lives even after making landfall and weakening. As most tropical systems, Camille began as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa. Camille began to strengthen as it moved across the Atlantic reaching hurricane strength as is approached Cuba. Once Camille entered the Gulf of Mexico, Air Force reconnaissance measured wind speeds of up to 200 mph and a central pressure around 901 mb. Evacuation was strongly recommended for areas along the Gulf from Louisiana to Florida, though some residents refused to evacuate the area.
They are born from tropic waters that affect quite a few across the world but in the Gulf of Mexico they tend to wreak particular havoc. These storms have potential for mass devastation through storm surges that flood the coastline often taking lives and possible contamination of water supplies, heavy rain which contributes to flooding situations and high winds coupling with tornadoes that destroy property, Storm surges are among one of the worst factors of a hurricane. Often, at the time, people do not even realize the impacts a storm surge can have and do not head authorities warnings to evacuate the coastline, which can result in a high death toll. As Jay Barnes notes in his research: As a hurricane churns across the open sea, the combined effects of the storm’s lowered barometric pressure and strong, inward-spiraling winds create a deep, swirling column of water beneath the ocean’s surface. This effect causes the sea level to rise in the vicinity of the storm, creating a dome of water that may be a few feet high in the center and a hundred miles wide.
They strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. There are several similarities between hurricanes and tornadoes. First of all, both are unpredictable, incredibly devastating and can easily kill. Other than that, both are made up of very strong and fast wind which is more than 100 mph. Furthermore, both of them rotate all around.
Hurricane Katrina consisted of much high wind strength and power which led to levies to fail, and developed flooding in the area. As winds to start to increase, hurricanes gain more strength and power, which develop heavy rainfall and big waves. (The Evans School of Public Affairs)“Long before the Katrina disaster
Hurricanes and Tornadoes Hurricanes and tornadoes are the two most deadly storms which hit the United States every year. Often confused with each other hurricanes and tornadoes contribute to over 80 deaths a year. Hurricanes and tornadoes are similar and different in many ways. The experiences of living through a hurricane or tornado can be life changing. Both tornadoes and hurricanes destroy homes, businesses, and take people lives.
In order to be a tornado it has to be in contact with both the ground and the cloud base. A tornado is not always visible, however, the intense low pressure caused by high wind speeds and rapid rotations usually causes water vapor in the air to become visible, that’s why they can be seen. They rotate in cyclonic clockwise direction to move. Just because they are natural phenomenons that cause destruction, it doesn’t mean they are not beautiful and incredible. By only looking at a picture and forgetting that it can cause destruction you can see that they are something you obviously don’t see everyday and are a very interesting topic to discover and know more about.
Tornadoes could probably be considered as one of the most violent natural occurring disasters known to mankind. They are the funnel-shaped thunderstorms that spiral around the area where atmosphere pressure is low. Tornadoes are usually classified by using the Fujita Wind Damage Scale. According to the damage caused, there are actually seven types of tornadoes, but they can be classified into three main types: weak tornadoes, strong tornadoes and violent tornadoes. Most of the occurring tornadoes are Weak Tornadoes.They consist of Gale Tornadoes (F0) and Moderate Tornadoes (F1).
Hail and Tornadoes Description and Classification Tornadoes According to the Glossary of Meteorology, A tornado is "a violently rotating column of air, in contact with the ground, either pendant from a cumuliform cloud or underneath a cumuliform cloud, and often (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud." Tornadoes occur all over the world, but are especially prevalent in the United States. Tornadoes usually have wind speeds between 40 and 110 mph, forward speeds approximately 30 mph, and are usually around 250 feet across. They generally travel only a few miles before dissipating. The word "tornado" comes from the Spanish or Portuguese verb tornar, meaning "to turn."
Hurricanes and their impact on the environment The effect of hurricanes on the environment is catastrophic. The loss of life and damage to property and the environment has far reaching implications, for persons that survive these disasters. According to Remote Sensing Using Satellites,(n.d.)”A hurricane is an intense, rotating oceanic weather system that possesses maximum sustained winds exceeding 119km/hr (74 mph). It forms and intensifies over tropical oceanic regions”. Hurricanes normally develop in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the North Pacific Ocean.