Hurricane

A hurricane is a very violent, tropical storm of the western North Atlantic with strong winds that blow in circle around a calm central area, known as the eye of the storm, at a speed of 74 miles per hour or faster. Originating somewhere off the coasts of Venezuela and Guyana, this rotatory storm system generally moves rapidly in a north-westernly direction, affecting the Caribbean region, the Yucatan peninsula, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and sometimes the American eastern seaboard.

As it moves, a powerful hurricane pours down copious precipitation from its cumulonimbus clouds as its strong winds destroy homes and buildings on its path. A hurricane is characterized by a low pressure center and feeds on heat released when moist air rises. This is the hurricane primary energy source. Condensation leads to higher wind speeds, as a tiny fraction of the released energy is converted into mechanical energy. The faster winds and lower pressure associated with them in turn cause increased surface evaporation and thus even more condensation. Much of the released energy drives updrafts that increase the height of the storm clouds, speeding up condensation. This positive feedback loop continues for as long as conditions are favorable for tropical cyclone development.

Experience shows that the use of short, distintive given names in written as well as spoken communications is quicker and less subject to error than the older more cumbersome latitude-longitute identification methods. These advantages are specially important in exchanging detailed storm information between hundres widely scattered stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea. The use of easily remembered names greatly reduces confusion when two or more tropical storms occur at the same time. For example, one hurricane can be moving slowly westward in the Gulf of Mexico , while at exactly the same time another hurricane can be moving rapidly Northward along the Atlantic coast. In the past, confusion and false rumors have arisen when storm advisories broadcast from radio stations were mistaken for warning concerning an entirely different storm located hundreds of miles away.

The deadliest hurricane on record to hit the American coast before the hurricanes began to be named was The Great Galveston Texas Hurricane Disaster which arose in September 1900, killing 6,000 people, damaging property worth $150 millions at the time, category 4 at landfall. But the most famous hurricanes with names are: Carol, August, 1954; Hazel, October, 1954; Diane, August, 1955; Audry, June, 1957; Donna, September, 1960; Carla, September, 1961; Betsy, September, 1965; Camille, August, 1969; Agnes, June, 1972; Hugo, September, 1989; Andrew, August, 1992; Fran, September, 1996; Charley, August, 2004; Katrina, August, 2005. Katrina caused a lot of material damage and killed many people because it hit the coast of Louisiana, greatly affecting New Orlean as this city is below the sea level.