Hurricane Processes (Specifically Hurricane Katrina)

Front 1

Sun heats ocean to min temp of 26.5°c (step)

Back 1

step 1 - warm ocean

Front 2

How the the temp of the Gulf of Mexico differ in hurricane Katrina

Back 2

Water temperatures were 1-2°c above normal

Front 3

The ocean heats the air above, causing evaporation of the water (step)

Back 3

Step 2 - warm moist air

Front 4

When did Hurricane Katrina gain hurricane status

Back 4

25th August 2005

Front 5

Warm moist air rises and spins in a clockwise direction (step)

Back 5

step 3 - coriolis force and ITCZ

Front 6

What causes the rising air to spin in a clockwise direction (in the southern hemisphere)?

Back 6

The coriolis force and the ITCZ

Front 7

Moist air is sucked in, rises and cools, condensing and forming clouds and rain (step)

Back 7

step 4 - low pressure zone

Front 8

Lowest pressure Katrina reached

Back 8

902mb

Front 9

Pressure at lanfall in NO

Back 9

920mb

Front 10

When a jet stream passes a deep depression, it sucks air out of it causing more air to rush in (step)

Back 10

step 5 - Jet Streams

Front 11

What does the rushing in of air from jet streams result in?

Back 11

Condensing of moist air and rain formation

Front 12

What are jet streams?

Back 12

High speed air currents circling the Earth between 10-30° latitude

Front 13

As the warm moist air condenses, large amounts of latent heat is released, keeping the hurricane warm and spinning (step)

Back 13

step 6 - latent heat

Front 14

What do hurricanes rely on for energy?

Back 14

A continuous supply of warm moist air

Front 15

The rainfall amount of Hurricane Katrina

Back 15

>1 inch per hour

Front 16

Wind strength of Hurricane Katrina when it hit the Gulf Coast

Back 16

100mph