Per the Weather Channel:
Dangerous Hurricane Felix (160 mph) continues to swirl westward through the Caribbean Sea while maintaining its category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The eye of Felix, as of 11 a.m. EDT, was located about 265 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, near 14.3 North, 77.8 West. The hurricane is moving rapidly westward at 21 miles per hour and could make landfall near the Nicaragua-Honduras border early tomorrow as a potentially catastrophic category 4 or 5 hurricane.
Hurricane warnings are now in effect for the Caribbean coasts of northern Nicaragua and eastern Honduras. Hurricane watches are posted along the Caribbean coast westward and northward from there as far as the Belize-Mexico border.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, there are two systems being monitored for tropical development. One is over the central Atlantic, about halfway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa. Upper level winds currently are not favorable for development, but if the disturbance can hold together, it could become a tropical depression within the next day or so. The other system being watched is an area of low pressure along a dying frontal boundary off of the Southeast coast. This disturbance has some potential for slow development over the next few days.
In the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Henriette weakened slightly overnight, and is now down to 65 mph. Conditions are favorable for strengthening, and Henriette is forecast to become a hurricane later today.
As of 8 a.m. PDT, Henriette was located near 19.9 North, 108.5 West, or about 220 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Henriette is moving to the northwest near 12 miles per hour, but is expected to gradually turn to a more northerly track over the next 36 hours.
A hurricane warning is now in effect for the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, from La Paz southward on the east coast, and from Santa Fe southward on the west coast. Henriette is expected to churn northward over the southern Baja Peninsula late Tuesday and weaken to a tropical storm as it emerges over the Gulf of California.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Hurricanes
Hurricanes rotate counterclockwise around the “eye”, an area of calm, clear air in the heart of a violent storm. The strongest part of a hurricane is the eyewall, the powerful cluster of thunderstorms that surround the eye. Hurricanes can spawn tornadoes within the bands of circulation. Lightning is rarely seen with hurricanes; only the worst in history ever did have it.
All hurricanes start out as a tropical depression, a disturbance in the ocean with winds of at least 25 mph and circulation. When the intensity strengthens and the winds strengthen beyond 39 mph, it is classified as a tropical storm and is given a name. Tropical storms are named according to the list in circulation. The National Weather Service creates a list of names for every six years. Each name alternates between a boy’s name and a girl’s name. The lists rotate over and over every six years. If there is a devastating hurricane that causes much loss of property or life or both, the name is removed from the list and a new name is put in to prevent bad memories, so there will never be another Hurricane Andrew or Hurricane Katrina.
As a tropical storm strengthens, it is bound to near land. A tropical storm watch means that a tropical storm will likely strike your area within 72 hours. A tropical storm warning means that you will feel tropical storm effects in the next 24-48 hours.
When a tropical storm’s winds reach 74 mph, it is classified as a hurricane. The strength of a hurricane is measured using the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The Saffir-Simpson Scale
Category 1 ~ 74-95 mph, 4-5 ft. storm surge
Category 2 ~ 96-110 mph, 6-8 ft. storm surge
Category 3 ~ 111-130 mph, 9-12 ft. storm surge
Category 4 ~ 131-155 mph, 13-18 ft. storm surge
Category 5 ~ 155+ mph, 18+ ft. storm surge
The storm surge is the most deadly part of a hurricane. Storm surge is the flooding that comes inland with a hurricane. The storm surge catches many people off guard. When a hurricane comes onto land, it is called a landfall. It is not considered a landfall until the eye of the hurricane comes onto land. Once a hurricane reaches land and travels inward, the warm ocean is gone and the storm loses energy.
The Atlantic Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. Hurricanes have happened in other months, though. The Pacific Hurricane season lasts from May 15 to November 30. In the Atlantic, peak hurricane action lasts from mid-August to mid-September.
Hurricanes are less dangerous than other storms because you can prepare in advance. If there is a mandatory evacuation order or if you don’t feel safe in your house, get out of there. If you are not told to evacuate, make a hurricane kit with extra medicines, clothes, special equipment, three gallons of water for each family member, and extra money. A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions may be felt in your area in the next 72 hours. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions will be felt in the next 24-48 hours.
Hurricanes are called other things in other parts of the world.
Some other hurricane names
• Typhoons (NW Pacific Ocean)
• Severe Tropical Cyclones (SW Pacific Ocean)
• Severe Cyclonic Storm (N Indian Ocean)
• Tropical Cyclone (S Indian Ocean)
• Willy-willy (Australia)
All hurricanes start out as a tropical depression, a disturbance in the ocean with winds of at least 25 mph and circulation. When the intensity strengthens and the winds strengthen beyond 39 mph, it is classified as a tropical storm and is given a name. Tropical storms are named according to the list in circulation. The National Weather Service creates a list of names for every six years. Each name alternates between a boy’s name and a girl’s name. The lists rotate over and over every six years. If there is a devastating hurricane that causes much loss of property or life or both, the name is removed from the list and a new name is put in to prevent bad memories, so there will never be another Hurricane Andrew or Hurricane Katrina.
As a tropical storm strengthens, it is bound to near land. A tropical storm watch means that a tropical storm will likely strike your area within 72 hours. A tropical storm warning means that you will feel tropical storm effects in the next 24-48 hours.
When a tropical storm’s winds reach 74 mph, it is classified as a hurricane. The strength of a hurricane is measured using the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The Saffir-Simpson Scale
Category 1 ~ 74-95 mph, 4-5 ft. storm surge
Category 2 ~ 96-110 mph, 6-8 ft. storm surge
Category 3 ~ 111-130 mph, 9-12 ft. storm surge
Category 4 ~ 131-155 mph, 13-18 ft. storm surge
Category 5 ~ 155+ mph, 18+ ft. storm surge
The storm surge is the most deadly part of a hurricane. Storm surge is the flooding that comes inland with a hurricane. The storm surge catches many people off guard. When a hurricane comes onto land, it is called a landfall. It is not considered a landfall until the eye of the hurricane comes onto land. Once a hurricane reaches land and travels inward, the warm ocean is gone and the storm loses energy.
The Atlantic Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. Hurricanes have happened in other months, though. The Pacific Hurricane season lasts from May 15 to November 30. In the Atlantic, peak hurricane action lasts from mid-August to mid-September.
Hurricanes are less dangerous than other storms because you can prepare in advance. If there is a mandatory evacuation order or if you don’t feel safe in your house, get out of there. If you are not told to evacuate, make a hurricane kit with extra medicines, clothes, special equipment, three gallons of water for each family member, and extra money. A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions may be felt in your area in the next 72 hours. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions will be felt in the next 24-48 hours.
Hurricanes are called other things in other parts of the world.
Some other hurricane names
• Typhoons (NW Pacific Ocean)
• Severe Tropical Cyclones (SW Pacific Ocean)
• Severe Cyclonic Storm (N Indian Ocean)
• Tropical Cyclone (S Indian Ocean)
• Willy-willy (Australia)
Tropical Storm Felix
Tropical Storm Felix is the 6th storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
It formed over the Windward Islands at the edge of the Caribbean early Saturday and is now near Grenada, with top sustained winds of 40 mph.
The National Hurricane Center (located in Miami, Florida) said tropical storm warnings have been issued for the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours.
Forecasters also said Felix is bringing a lot of heavy rain. They look for it to strengthen over the next day.
It formed over the Windward Islands at the edge of the Caribbean early Saturday and is now near Grenada, with top sustained winds of 40 mph.
The National Hurricane Center (located in Miami, Florida) said tropical storm warnings have been issued for the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours.
Forecasters also said Felix is bringing a lot of heavy rain. They look for it to strengthen over the next day.
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