Hurricane

Objectives

The students will investigate the causes of hurricanes and how they are named and categorized, then practice tracking one across the Atlantic Ocean.

Education Standards

National Science Education Standards

• Physical Science
• Motions and forces
• Earth and Space Science
• Structure of the Earth System
• Science in Personal and Social Perspective
• Natural hazard

National Geography Standards

• The World in Spacial Terms
• Environment and Society

National Educational Technology Standards

• Basic Operations and Concepts
• Technology Research Tools

Challenge

A hurricane is one of the most destructive natural forces on Earth, often causing millions of dollars of damage and untold human suffering wherever one may hit. NASA scientists study these damaging storms to learn how to predict when and where one is likely to occur. Study each section to learn how hurricanes form, how they are named and categorized, and how to track one of these dangerous storms.

Section 1

Read the following questions and then visit the NASA websites below to answer them. Record the answers on a piece of notebook paper.

1. Which three things are necessary for a hurricane to form:

a. warm water
b. humid air
c. converging winds
d. icebergs
e. polar winds

2. A tropical disturbance is formed when an organized area of thunderstorms holds itself together for at least ____ hours.

a. 12
b. 16
c. 24
d. 32
e. 48

3. A storm becomes a hurricane when the wind speeds reach ____ miles per hour.

a. 54
b. 64
c. 74
d. 84
e. 94

4. What year did each of the following hurricanes occur:

Hurricane Tomas _____________

Hurricane Andrew ____________

Hurricane Fran ______________

Hurricane Floyd _____________

Hurricane Pauline ____________

5. In which part of the world are storms called:

Typhoons _______________________________________________________

Hurricanes ______________________________________________________

Section 2

Hurricane names are chosen from a list selected by the World Meteorological Organization. Hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean are named from different lists. Visit these websites and list on your paper the names that have been retired from the Atlantic list. Next, create your own list following the guidelines. Remember, do not use a name that has been retired or that is already on the list.

Hurricane Names

Section 3

Hurricanes are rated on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale based on the intensity of the storm. Visit these websites and then complete the following table by copying the table and information on your paper. Print the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale template or draw your own.

Section4

This section requires that a Hurricane Tracking Chart be downloaded and printed from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) website. The Chart can be found at the following Internet location:

Make sure that the latitude and longitude numbers are labeled on your map before you close the page on the computer. If they did not print clearly on your map write them in with a pen or pencil. The longitude numbers across the bottom of the page should read from right to left 45 through 105 degrees. The latitude numbers on the right side of the chart should read from bottom to top 10 through 45 degrees. Your teacher may need to assist you with this part. If part of the right side of the chart does not print, that's OK.

Option: A classroom map may be substituted for the Hurricane Tracking Chart.

Follow the measurements listed below to track Hurricane Mitch that traveled the Atlantic in 1998. Mark each position with a dot on your chart. Then connect the dots with straight lines to track the storm.

Place your first dot here: 75 West Longitude 12 North Latitude
Now continue with each location moving to the left on your map. Be alert-hurricanes can change directions without warning!

77 W 12 N
77 W 15 N
82 W 17 N
86 W 15 N
90 W 15 N
93 W 17 N
94 W 19 N
90 W 20 N
85 W 25 N
75 W 30 N
68 W 35 N
58 W 40 N
40 W 45 N

Did Hurricane Mitch run ashore in the United States? __________________________

If so, which state did it hit? _____________________________________________

Did it strike any other countries or islands? _________________________________

If so, which ones?_____________________________________________________

NASA Spacelink's Curriculum Support Earth Sciences page:
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/Curriculum.Support/Earth.Science/

Spacelink's Projects page about Atmosphere:
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Earth.Science/Atmosphere/

NASA Educator Guide: Our Mission to Planet Earth
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Our.Mission.to.Planet.Earth/

Video Cassette from NASA CORE: Educational Video
"The Case of the Phenomenal Weather"
[An alternative if you have printed this out is to go to http://core.nasa.gov and search for weather.]

NASA's Classroom of the Future presents "Exploring the Environment"
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/main.html