Hurricane Facts

• What is a hurricane?
• Hurricane Classification
• Why are hurricanes given names?
• Retired Hurricane Names
• The Deadliest Hurricanes
• The Most Costiest Hurricane
• Other Hurricanes
• Hurricane Definitions
• A Photo Gallery of Lili
• A hurricane quiz

What is a hurricane? | Top

Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from the seawater increases their power. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around an "eye." Hurricanes have winds at least 74 miles per hour. When they come onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and heavy waves can damage buildings, trees and cars. The heavy waves are called a storm surge. Storm surges are very dangerous and a major reason why you MUST stay away from the ocean during a hurricane warning or hurricane. In the U.S., the official hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30, but hurricanes can happen any time of the year. Hurricanes are named by the National Weather Service. [Information obtained from The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA for Kids]

Hurricanes are part of a family of weather systems known as "tropical cyclones." The word hurricane is from the West Indian word hurricane, meaning "big wind." A hurricane begins its life as a disorganized storm system which forms over warm, tropical waters in the Atlantic. When the storm system become more organized, it is classified as a "tropical depression," and given a number by the National Hurricane Center. If the winds in a tropical depression grow in intensity to 40mph, it is re- classified as a "tropical storm," and it receives a name. When the winds in the storm reach 75mph (120kph), the storm is upgraded to a hurricane. The winds of a hurricane are structured around a central "eye", which is an area that is free of clouds and relatively calm. Around this "eye" area, storm clouds wrap in a counter-clockwise motion. This "eyewall" of clouds, wind and rain, is the most destructive part of the storm. In fact, it is the eyewall that creates the eye, since the rapid spinning clouds in the wall reduce the pressure in the eye and suck out any clouds that may be there. Hurricanes are usually compact storms, with maximum wind velocities extending out 10 to 100km from the eye. Of course, one can still experience gale-force winds as much as 300 miles out from the eye, which is why everyone in the Gulf Coast area is concerned when a hurricane comes a-calling. [Information obtained from Yatcom Communications, Inc.]

Hurricane Classification | Top

Hurricanes are classified into five categories, based on their wind speeds and potential to cause damage.

• Category One -- Winds 74-95 miles per hour
• Category Two -- Winds 96-110 miles per hour
• Category Three -- Winds 111-130 miles per hour
• Category Four -- Winds 131-155 miles per hour
• Category Five -- Winds greater than 155 miles per hour

Why are hurricanes given names? | Top

To help us identify storms and track them as they move across the ocean. Remember, there can be more than one hurricane at a time and without naming them, we could get confused and which storm we're talking about. For hundreds of year, hurricanes in the West Indies were named after the particular saint's day on which the hurricane occurred. An Australian meteorologist began giving women's names to tropical storms before the end of the 19th century. In 1953, the U.S. National Weather Service, which is the federal agency that tracks hurricanes and issues warnings and watches, began using female names for storms.

In 1979, both women and men's names were used. One name for each letter of the alphabet is selected, except for Q, U and Z. For Atlantic Ocean hurricanes, the names may be French, Spanish or English, since these are the major languages bordering the Atlantic Ocean where the storm occur.

So who decides what names are used each year? The World Meteorological Organization uses six lists in rotation. The same lists are reused every six years. The only time a new name is added is if a hurricane is very deadly or costly. Then the name is retired and a new name is chosen.

Retired Hurricane Names | Top

Sometimes names are "retired" if a hurricane has been really big and destructive. It's like when a sports jersey or number is retired after a really great athlete leaves a sport. When a name is retired it won't be used again.