2. Where do these monster storms get the power to do
this?
In the slides to follow we will find out:
*the formation of these monsters
*the places these monsters can strike
*historic examples of these strikes
*the most dangerous aspects of these freaks
3. FORMATION
• Strong, hot winds blow off of the Sahara into the
Mid-Atlantic
• These winds interact with the warm waters
developing into off shore low pressure systems
• Fed by the warm waters these tropical
depressions develop into giant weather machines
• These machines are highly organized, drawing
water and energy from the ocean and heading for
land
4. LOCATIONS OF STRIKES
• Generally hurricanes continue to head west
• They are often drawn into the warm waters of the
Caribbean sea
• They are also drawn into the southeast portion of
United States where they lose energy and spawn more
localized systems (tornados and severe thunderstorms)
• They are occasionally drawn up into the North Atlantic
where they most often dissipate completely in the cold
waters
• Even more occasionally they strike the northeastern
United States as we just found out this week with
Sandy
5. HISTORIC EXAMPLES: Gavelston
(Prior to naming)
• Landfall date: September 8, 1900
• Landfall location: Galveston, TX
• Category: 4
• Death toll: 8, 000
• Damages: 30 million dollars
6. HISTORIC EXAMPLES: “Long Island
Express” (also prior to naming)
• Landfall date: September 21, 1938
• Landfall location: Long Island, NY
• Category: 5
• Death toll: 600
• Damages: 308 million dollars
8. HISTORIC EXAMPLES: Hugo
• Landfall date: September 22, 1989
• Landfall location: Charleston, SC
• Category: 4
• Death toll: 21
• Damages: 7 billion dollars
9. HISTORIC EXAMPLES: Andrew
• Landfall dates: August 24 & 26, 1992
• Landfall locations: Homestead, FL & Central LA
• Category: 4
• Death toll: 23
• Damages: 26.5 billion dollars
10. HISTORIC EXAMPLES: Katrina
• Landfall date: August 29, 2005
• Landfall location: Buras, LA
• Category: 4
• Death toll: 1200
• Damages: 200 billion (the cost of a four year
war)
11. HISTORIC EXAMPLES: Sandy
(aka, Frankenstorm)
• Landfall date: October 29, 2012
• Landfall location: New York, New Jersey
• Death toll: 149
• Damages: Not know yet but considering the
populated areas and infrastructure that were
hit it is going to be high
12. MOST DAMAGING PARTS
• Hurricanes contain three very damaging
factors
– Winds
– Storm surges
– Flooding
13. WINDS
• Winds can get as high
as 200 miles an hour
and can cause this to
happen:
15. FLOODING
• Rains can often
become a huge part of
the hurricane as it
releases energy and
moisture at landfall
• This can be the result
• Note the water lines on
this sign
16. STORM SURGE
The storm surge is a • Like this:
giant wall of water that
thrusts itself inland
along coastal areas
during a hurricane
• Depending on the size
extreme damage can
occur
18. Citations
• All photographs are copyright Christopher
Schobert, 2006
• Hurricane stats from the National Hurricane
Center’s Website:
Hurricanes in History.2012. National Hurricane
Center. November 3, 2012
<http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/history/>
