Hurricanes and Tornadoes
Sometimes the weather becomes wild. Blizzards, thunderstorms,
hurricanes and heatwaves are some examples of extreme
weather conditions. Such severe weather often causes a great
deal of damage to both life and property. Hurricanes and
tornadoes especially are very destructive.
Quick Q’s:
1. Can hurricane winds
be measured?
Hurricanes are divided
into five categories
depending on their
wind speeds. Category
5 hurricanes are the
worst, causing
maximum damage.
Winds of a category 5
hurricane can reach
speeds of about 250
kilometres per hour
(155 miles per hour).
Category 1 hurricanes
are much weaker, and
only travel at 119–153
kilometres per hour
(74–95 miles per hour).
2. What is a
storm surge?
Sometimes the strong
winds of a hurricane
can cause the water
level in the ocean to
rise. Huge waves hit
the coast along with
the storm, causing
severe flooding. This is
called a storm surge.
3. What is the
Fujita scale?
The Fujita scale is
used to measure the
intensity of a tornado.
It ranks tornadoes by
the damage caused to
man-made structures.
4. How did tornadoes
get their name?
The word tornado is
from the Spanish tomear,
meaning ‘to turn’.
40
Eye of the hurricane
This satellite image clearly shows the eye of the
hurricane, an area of calm in the middle of the storm.
Huge destroyer
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina, seen here in a satellite
image, destroyed large parts of the city of New Orleans
in the USA.
Q What is a hurricane?
A Hurricanes are large, violent storms that
form over the ocean near the equator. These
storms are accompanied by winds that travel
at an average speed of about 119 kilometres
per hour (74 miles per hour). Hurricanes
usually occur between June and November.
Q How does a hurricane form?
A When the air above the sea is heated it
rises, creating an area of low pressure. Cooler
wind moves in to take place of the warm air.
The Earth’s rotation causes the rising hot air
to twist and form a cylinder. As the warm air
rises higher, it cools down and forms huge
thunderclouds and finally becomes a
hurricane. Meanwhile, the cooler air at the
bottom also becomes warm, adding more
energy to the storm.
QWhat is the eye of a hurricane?
A The centre of a hurricane is called the
eye. The eye is an area of clear skies, light
winds and no rain. It is also the warmest part
of the storm and is surrounded by a wall of
heavy rain and strong winds. People faced
with a hurricane usually experience the heavy
rain and strong winds first, then there is a
period of calm as the eye passes over the area,
followed by more stormy weather.
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