Hurricanes have fascinated humans since time began. They can be terrifying, and before the weather was fully understood; all acts of nature were considered to be acts of God. They can be devastating in their reach, such as with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The truth is out there about hurricanes. Hurricanes can be powerful and a bit frightening. They can be challenging even for forecasters to predict during hurricane season. Hurricanes are a big part of the weather going on in our world. If you are interested in learning more about hurricanes, check out these facts about hurricanes.
Definition of Hurricanes
Hurricanes are defined as warm water or tropical climate storms. They can form in oceans such as the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Depending on what hemisphere that one of these is in, it will spin differently than the other hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, they rotate clockwise while in the Northern Hemisphere they spin counterclockwise. In the Southern Hemisphere, they are called typhoons or cyclones.
Hurricanes Are Only “Hurricanes” Around North America.
A tropical cyclone is a compact, low-pressure system fueled by thunderstorms that draw energy from the heat generated by warm ocean waters. These tropical cyclones get different names depending on how powerful they are and where in the world they form. A mature tropical cyclone is called a hurricane in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans. What’s known as a hurricane in the Atlantic is named a typhoon near Asia and simply a cyclone everywhere else in the world.
Season For Hurricanes
In the Atlantic, the period for hurricanes usually ends in October and starts in August. However, in the Atlantic, you can have hurricanes even before hurricane season even starts. The same will hold true for the Pacific whose season ends in November and begins in May. Indian Ocean season ends in December in certain parts of the Indian Ocean and starts in April.
Deadliest and Costliest Atlantic Hurricanes
Many hurricanes have hit different places. However, some are more deadly and costly than others. The 1900, hurricane in Galveston is considered to be the deadliest on record. The most expensive hurricane in the Atlantic turns out to be Katrina in 2005. The previous record holder was Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Katrina trumped the Andrew disaster easily in cost of recovery and economic ruin.
Myths about Hurricanes
When speaking about hurricanes, there are some myths that abound. One of the more famous myths is that a hurricane will strengthen over land. This is false information. A hurricane will only intensify over the ocean. Another myth is that the wind is the most powerful feature of a hurricane. Actually, the storm surge is the most powerful elements of a hurricane.
