Enviromental Study Project
Henesy Ricart, Period 1, Ms.Kibbey
The city of Orlando Florida! (HISTORY)
The Weather in Florida Today! (WEATHER)
The city!
The weather!
The Amusement parks!
Florida Disaster History
Hurricanes
Year
Date
Disaster
2005
10/24
Hurricane Wilma
2005
08/28
Hurricane Katrina
2005
07/10
Hurricane Dennis
2004
09/26
Hurricane Jeanne
2004
09/16
Hurricane Ivan
2004
09/04
Hurricane Frances
2004
08/13
Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie
1999
10/20
Hurricane Irene
1999
09/22
Hurricane Floyd
1998
09/28
Hurricane Georges
1998
09/04
Hurricane Earl
1995
10/04
Hurricane Opal
1995
08/10
Hurricane Erin
1992
08/24
Hurricane Andrew
1985
12/03
Hurricane Kate
1985
09/12
Hurricane Elena
1979
09/13
Hurricane Frederic
1968
11/07
Hurricane Gladys
1965
09/14
Hurricane Betsy
1964
09/10
Hurricane Dora
1964
09/08
Hurricane Cleo
1960
09/12
Hurricane Donna
Florida Tornadoes
In Florida, tornadoes can occur at any time of the year. Tornadoes can form on their own, or they can accompany hurricanes and tropical storms. Generally, weather patterns produce the strongest tornadoes between February and May.
The Kissimmee Tornado Outbreak of 1998
Late on the night of February 22, powerful tornadoes formed in east-central Florida. Three of the tornadoes were classified as F3 on the Fujita scale, meaning that they had winds between 158 mph and 206 mph. The other tornadoes were not as strong, and were classified as F0 to F2. The tornadoes killed 42 people and injured over 250.
The Central Florida Tornadoes of 2007
On February 2, tornadoes in central Florida killed 21 people, and caused about $270 million in damage. The tornadoes were the first to be classified using the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The storms' intensity ranged from EF0 to EF3. The tornadoes struck during the early morning, when residents were asleep, and this timing may have contributed to the high number of fatalities.
Florida Flooding
Because so much of Florida is at or near sea level, flooding is a common problem. Even a minor flood can be a disaster for the people who are forced to cope with it. Quickly-rising water can cause millions of dollars of damage to homes and businesses.
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
Hurricanes and tropical storms can bring significant storm surges, which can flood large areas. Even a Category 2 hurricane brings a storm surge of at least six feet above normal. A major hurricane can bring a storm surge of twice that, or even more. For Floridians who live only a few feet above sea level, this can be a major problem. If a storm surge occurs at high tide, the effects can be devastating.
Heavy Rain
Florida regularly experiences strong thunderstorms, especially in summer. These storms can produce great amounts of rain very quickly. If drainage systems are unable to keep up with the water levels, flooding occurs. Even when there is adequate drainage in one area, the water may flow into a river, and the sudden rise in the river level may flood a different area.
Florida Fire Hazards
Florida is regularly subjected to wildfires. The fires often occur during the intense heat of summer, but can occur at any time during the year. During a drought, even a small spark - such as from a discarded cigarette - can quickly become a massive wildfire, and Florida's frequent, intense lightning storms make conditions even more dangerous.
Fires, whether naturally occurring or started by people, can easily lead to road closures in Florida. This is due, in part, to the fact that fire is a very important part of Florida's ecosystem. Many native plants will burn and regenerate quite easily, and in rural areas, huge walls of quickly-moving flames and smoke can make roads impassable. Even a distant fire can lead to road closures, as blowing smoke can quickly reduce visibility to just a few feet and make driving extremely dangerous.
On January 9, 2008, a thick mix of fog and smoke led to a catastrophic 70-vehicle pileup on Interstate 4, in Polk County.
Muck Fires
In much of Florida, the ground beneath the top layer of soil is made up of loose, organic material, which is known as "muck." When a fire on the surface burns down into the muck, the organic material can ignite, producing a stubborn, smelly blaze. This blaze, a muck fire, can leave embers smoldering underground long after the surface fire has been extinguished. This produces a strange and very dangerous situation. The muck fire can spread underground, burning tree roots, and making trees unstable. The trees can then fall on firefighters or other people in the area.
Containing a muck fire can be very difficult for firefighters. Falling trees and destabilized ground can make it nearly impossible to bring firefighting equipment into a forested area where a muck fire is burning. Also, in order to extinguish a muck fire, the ground must be thoroughly soaked. This can require the earth to be turned over so that water can better reach burning areas of muck.
WildLife
Birds
Florida is a birders paradise. There are nearly 500 native species as well dozens of established exotics.
Gators / Crocs
Alligators are abundant in Florida and can be seen basking on canal banks and beside rivers and lakes.
Mammals
Otters, opossums, manatees, fox squirrels, raccoons, white-tailed deer, key deer and armadillos are among the more commonly seen mammals.
Turtles
Turtles and tortoises are a little more difficult to see, but if you go canoeing or kayaking you will almost certainly spot a turtle basking.
Frogs / Toads
Florida has the richest concentration of amphibians of any State in the USA. Many species are common and easy to see.
Snakes
There are 45 species of snakes in Florida, but you will have to look hard to see any of them.
Lizards
Geckos are so common in buildings in South Florida that they are called ‘house lizards.’ Anoles and skinks are easy to watch in almost any park or garden.
Insects
Insects are not difficult to see in Florida – they usually find you, but once you get past the unwanted mosquitoes and deer flies there is a dazzling abundance of insect life in this tropical State.
Fish
You can find a good fishing spot almost anywhere you go in Florida but you may need a local guide to find the really big ones. Try one of the freshwater lakes and rivers, explore the tidal flats and bays, or travel far offshore into the Atlantic Gulf Stream or Gulf of Mexico.
Plants
Florida has more tree species than any other state in the continental United States and our subtropical climate supports palms, orchids, and nearly 4,000 species of flowering plants.
Sharks
More than 50 species of sharks can be found in the waters around Florida, but most of these are deep water species, rarely seen by the average person. However, Florida has the greatest number of unprovoked shark attacks of any state in the U.S.
My Culture
My culture is…
dominican Republic &&
Puerto RICO!!!!!
what I know about Dominican Republic:
- mainly European and African roots
- the New World, namely Santo Domingo, founded in 1493.
- The Dominican Republic was the site of the first European settlement in the New World
- The Dominican Republic was explored by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492.
- The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region.