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Understanding Hurricanes and Tornadoes: Causes, Categories, and Impacts on Communities

Hurricanes and tornadoes are two of nature's most powerful storms, causing significant destruction. Hurricanes are large, low-pressure systems formed over warm ocean waters in tropical regions, characterized by high winds, heavy rain, and potential tornadoes. They are classified into five categories based on wind speed. In contrast, tornadoes are violent, rotating columns of air that form over land, with wind speeds reaching up to 300 mph. Each storm type has unique formation processes and seasonal patterns, particularly in regions like Tornado Alley, where tornado activity is frequent.

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Understanding Hurricanes and Tornadoes: Causes, Categories, and Impacts on Communities

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  1. Severe weather Concept 1: hurricanes are large, whirling low-pressure systems that form over warm ocean water in the tropics Concept 2: tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air, in contact with the surface of the earth, visible as a rope-shaped or wedge-shaped cloud

  2. Hurricanes • Are large, whirling low pressure systems that form over warm ocean water in the tropics; • They bring extremely high winds, thunder, lightening, large amounts of rain and tornadoes; • If north of the equator they spin in the counterclockwise direction due to the earth’s spin, called the Coriolis effect.

  3. Hurricane Formation • Form in warm ocean water; • when a large mass of unstable warm air begins to rise and cool, clouds begin to form; • The rising mass of air starts to spin; • If the spinning winds increase in speed, the unstable mass becomes a tropical cyclone.

  4. Hurricane categories • Wind speed are used to categorize hurricanes; • Category I: 74-95 mph, 119-153 kph; • Category II: 96-110 mph, 154-177 kph; • Category III: 111-130mph, 178-209 kph; • Category IV: 130-155 mph, 210-249 kph; • Category V: Most severe storm, +155mph, +249 kph.

  5. Tornadoes • Are very destructive storms that form over land; • They cause great damage with winds that spin up to 300mph (480 kph); • Spring and summer seasons are the most active times for tornadoes; • Tornado Alley-those parts of the Great Plains and Midwest where sightings are frequent.

  6. Tornado Formation • Occur in very severe thunderstorms where winds blow at different heights and at different speeds; • This causes a funnel cloud to form; • Tornado winds spiral, or spin in counterclock direction around the center or eye of a low pressure area;

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