National Hurricane Preparedness Week Begins Today

Today is the first day of National Hurricane Preparedness Week.

Throughout the week, we will provide you with useful information about hurricanes and how you can better prepare for the dangers associated with hurricanes and other tropical systems.

Hurricane Basics

A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, which is a term for a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics. The cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms. In the Northern Hemisphere, it has a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the surface of the earth.

Tropical Cyclones are classified as follows...

Tropical Depression-an organized system os clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38mph or less.

Tropical Storm-an organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained surface winds of 39 to 73mph

Hurricane-an intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained surface winds of 74mph or greater

Hurricanes are categorized according to the strength of their winds based on the Saffir Simpson Scale.

A Category 1 storm has the lowest wind speeds, while a Category 5 has the strongest. However, these are relative terms because lower category storms can sometimes inflict greater damage than higher category storms, depending upon where they strike and the exact hazards they bring.

Some of the necessary ingredients for tropical cyclones include a pre-existing weather disturbance, warm water, moisture and relatively light winds in the higher levels of the atmosphere. If these conditions persist long enough, they can lead to a tropical depression and eventually a hurricane capable of producing violent winds, incredible waves, flooding rains and tornadoes.

Each year, an average of eleven tropical storms develop over the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Of these, six become hurricanes, two of which become major hurricanes...Category 3 or higher.

While most tropical cyclones remain over the open water and never impact land, roughly five hurricanes will strike the coastline from Texas to Maine on average every three weeks.

Tropical cyclones are given names when they reach tropical storm strength. A six year rotating list of storm names was adopted in 1979, alternating between male and female names.

Hurricane names can be retired when a hurricane results in substantial damage or death or for other special circumstances.

The names for the 2009 season are as follows:
Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Joaquin, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor and Wanda.