Everyone has heard of hurricanes before. Most of us also know that when it 's the season for these storms, it means the atmosphere is primed for instability, which can come in the form of thunderstorms, gusty conditions, and downpours. But have you ever wondered what makes a hurricane, well, a hurricane? You 're about to find out.
A hurricane is essentially a cyclone that forms when there 's a lot of moisture. In fact, it 's this moisture, which emanates from the ocean, that gives hurricane their one-two punch in the form of heavy wind and precipitation. But for these tropical storms to be classified as such, wind speeds have to reach a minimum of 74 miles per hour.
Even relatively 'tame ' storms can be violent
When you 're traveling on …show more content…
However, some areas are more at risk of seeing hurricanes in the typical year than others. For example, states like Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have received several over the past decade or so, perhaps the most memorable being Hurricane Katrina. Katrina was one of the most damaging hurricanes the U.S., costing north of $25 billion In the Bayou State, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The National Flood Insurance Program alone paid out $13 billion in claims to those affected by high water …show more content…
Preparation is key
Experts emphasize that it doesn 't have to be a productive year for hurricanes to create havoc for homeowners, especially when you 're not prepared. It 's in light of this that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has created a wealth of online resources to help people prepare for hurricanes. If you visit Ready.gov/hurricanes, you 'll find a list of tools that chart out exactly what you should do from the bare minimum - like developing a family emergency communication plan - to the more specific, like when a hurricane is a couple of days away from arriving. Safety officials advise homeowners go over these steps on an annual basis so they 're second nature and can be implemented speedily.
The NOAA also has some great resources that get into more of the specifics of what a hurricane is and why hurricanes receive the names that they do from year to
A hurricane is essentially a cyclone that forms when there 's a lot of moisture. In fact, it 's this moisture, which emanates from the ocean, that gives hurricane their one-two punch in the form of heavy wind and precipitation. But for these tropical storms to be classified as such, wind speeds have to reach a minimum of 74 miles per hour.
Even relatively 'tame ' storms can be violent
When you 're traveling on …show more content…
However, some areas are more at risk of seeing hurricanes in the typical year than others. For example, states like Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have received several over the past decade or so, perhaps the most memorable being Hurricane Katrina. Katrina was one of the most damaging hurricanes the U.S., costing north of $25 billion In the Bayou State, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The National Flood Insurance Program alone paid out $13 billion in claims to those affected by high water …show more content…
Preparation is key
Experts emphasize that it doesn 't have to be a productive year for hurricanes to create havoc for homeowners, especially when you 're not prepared. It 's in light of this that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has created a wealth of online resources to help people prepare for hurricanes. If you visit Ready.gov/hurricanes, you 'll find a list of tools that chart out exactly what you should do from the bare minimum - like developing a family emergency communication plan - to the more specific, like when a hurricane is a couple of days away from arriving. Safety officials advise homeowners go over these steps on an annual basis so they 're second nature and can be implemented speedily.
The NOAA also has some great resources that get into more of the specifics of what a hurricane is and why hurricanes receive the names that they do from year to