CH 2 Hurricanes, Floods, and Sinkholes N4

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1. What is a hurricane?

• an intense, rotating oceanic weather system that possesses maximum sustained winds exceeding 74 mph.

• A spinning storm over the ocean with winds of 74 mph or more

2. How does a hurricane work?

A. Warm water evaporates

B. Hot and humid air rises

C. wind from outside storm starts it turning

3. what are the main hazards?

•Wind damage•Flooding•Storm surge

4. what is STORM SURGE?• Winds “push” water from ocean or gulf onto

land

Shallow-Water Coastline

Deep-Water Coastline

Wind damage

flooding

Category Winds (MPH) Pressure (Inches)

Storm Surge(Feet) Damage

1 74-95 <28.94 4'-5' Minimal

2 96-110 28.91-28.50 6'-8' Moderate

3 111-130 28.47-27.91 9'-12' Extensive

4 131-155 27.88-27.17 13'-18' Extreme

5 >155 <27.17 >18' Catastrophic

5. How are hurricanes measured? • The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

6. floods are good and bad

Good:-Deposit new soil over land-recharges water table-clears debris

Bad:-destroys property-reroutes rivers

7. What is a flash flood?

flash flood

When rains from far away run downhill

Sinkholes

When flooding and rains can “open up” a cave