Hurricane Notes

Heat causes things to become denser and sink

Cold makes things expand and rise

Heat causes things to be less dense, expand and rise

Cold makes things less dense and rise

High pressure area

Water temperature of at least 80 degrees to a depth of 200 ft

Strong wind sheer

Hurricanes form over deserts

It is the center of the hurricane

It usually has few clouds

It is surrounded by intense thunderstorms called the eyewall

It is the most intense part of the storm

Fixed (inertial) frame of reference

Rotating (accelerated) frame of reference

Magnetic frame of reference

Thermal frame of reference

There is no Coriolis Effect at the equator.

The Coriolis Effect is strongest at the equator.

Hurricanes frequently cross the equator due to the Coriolis Effect.

The Coriolis Effect causes hurricanes to spin clockwise at the equator.

Evaporation

Convection

Condensation

Sublimation

Before 1953, hurricanes were given only female names.

After 1979, only female names were used for hurricanes.

The name of a storm is retired if it is considered exceptional.

A storm receives its name once it becomes a tropical storm with winds above 74 mph.

74 mph

50 mph

100 mph

60 mph