Hurricanes:
The worlds worst whirling winds
Hurricanes are known to be the worlds most destructive storms. They cause severe damage due to winds and floods they cause. Some of the worst hurricanes create storm surges, or massive walls of water forced in to shore by the storm. One hurricane that occurred in 1998, Hurricane Mitch carried an enormous storm surge almost sinking an island! As you can see, hurricanes cause lots of damage in many different ways.
How a Hurricane Forms
Hurricanes always start over warm water. The warm air rises leaving room for cold air. The winds then spin in a spiral like a top. Once these winds reach 74 mph, the storm is considered a hurricane. However, if the storm is not 74 mph but over 39 mph it is qualified as a tropical storm. The storm then starts moving to land. Once it does this the wind speeds decrease rapidly. This is because of the loss of warm water to feed on. Once this happens the hurricane becomes weak and dies.
Hurricane Katrina v.s. Hurricane Sandy
There are many similarities and differences between Hurricane Sandy and Katrina. For instance, they were both two of the worst storms to ever hit the US. Sandy hit atlantis city at a extra tropical storm while Katrina hit New Orleans at category 3. Both of the hurricanes hold records. Hurricane Sandy was the widest hurricane ever at 1,150 miles across. Hurricane Katrina was known for its deadly floods. The worst Katrina got was category 5 while Sandy only reached category 3. Now you know some more about the US's two most deadliest, and devastating hurricanes.
Ways to Prevent Hurricane Damage
The biggest problem that comes with a hurricane is the damage it causes. To fix this is very expensive. To avoid costs, here are some easy methods of protection. The most popular method is boarding up windows. It is also a good idea to to stock up on gasoline so you can light fires and start stoves and ovens. You should also keep a lot of food in your house so you can have food to eat during the storm. These are few of the easiest, and most inexpensive ways of protecting your family in a hurricane.
How Hurricanes Build up Wind Speed
You may be wondering how hurricanes become so powerful. As you know from the first paragraph, hurricanes form over water and die over land. The longer the storm is over water the stronger it becomes. This is because the hurricane feeds on warm water making it bigger and stronger. It then heads to land. This is how hurricanes become strong.