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Topic 14: Hurricanes   

Please note: the questions listed are not the only items that you need to know. The questions point out basic information to help understand some topics, some concepts that may not be obvious to all students, and some of the more difficult concepts.

Tropical weather

• Describe the weather on a typical tropical day. 

Hurricane characteristics  

• Describe the eye, eyewall, and spiral rain bands.
• Draw a cross-section of a hurricane. Include wind direction.
• Explain why the skies are clear in the eye.
• Describe what the edge of the hurricane looks like. Why does it look this way?

How do hurricanes form? 

• Describe the primary way that we discussed for convergence occurs to help create a hurricane.
• Explain why each of these features are important for hurricane development:
  --moist, unstable air
  --absence of strong wind shear
  --warm ocean water, deep layer of warn water
  --no strong capping inversion
  
  --Description of hurricane development

What sustains the hurricane? 

• Describe in detail how the hurricane gains energy near the surface through each of the following processes:
  --conduction and convection heat transfer
  --latent heat transfer
• How does the air release the energy to the hurricane?
• How does the hurricane get the water needed to produce copious rainfall amounts?
• Describe the entire cycle of air movement in a hurricane. Be sure to explain why it is important for the air to cool back down before it goes back into the hurricane.

Why do hurricanes weaken?  

• Why do hurricanes weaken when they go over land? Be sure to discuss ALL factors we talked about.

Hurricane dangers  

• Discuss the dangers of winds, storm surge, and floods.
• Which area of a hurricane has the highest potential for damage?