The word “hurricane” comes from “hurricane,” a Taino Native American word that means “evil spirit of the wind” or god of evil on some islands in the Caribbean, which is not surprising. Hurricanes are types of storms called tropical cyclones that form over tropical or subtropical waters. They are among the most powerful naturally caused storms. Hurricanes result in storm surge flooding, strong winds, and heavy rainfall that can cause inland flooding, rip currents, and tornadoes.
Below are some facts that you should know about hurricanes;
1. Hurricanes Occur in two regions of the pacific
Typhoons are hurricanes that form in the Northwest Pacific (near Japan), and Cyclones are those occurring in the South Pacific or Indian oceans.
2. Winds Speed must be 74mph for it to be a storm
A storm that occurs in the tropic is classified as a storm when the winds reach at least 74mph/ 119km per hour. Hurricane Patricia took place in 2015 and had the fastest recorded wind speed of 215 mph/345km per hour.
3. Hurricanes have Condition that favors their formation
Just like rain, Hurricanes also have conditions that influence their formation. They form when the sea is warm and the atmosphere humid. The season between June and November experiences a hurricane.
4. Hurricanes are arsenals of energy
These powerful storms unleash a vast amount of energy. The amount of energy a large hurricane releases per second is equivalent to 10 atomic bombs. Sometimes hurricanes are referred to as “heat engines.” Its energy is one day can run the light of a city like Las Vegas for many years.
5. These Storms Vary in Sizes
Hurricanes being the largest storms on Earth, they vary in sizes from 62 to 1243 mi (100- 2000). Typhoon Tip is the largest hurricane on record. It occurred in 1979 in the northwest Pacific and had a diameter of around 1,379 mi (2,220 km).
6. Clockwise and anticlockwise movement.
Hurricane winds move anticlockwise around the center in the Northern Hemisphere, while they travel clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere because of the Coriolis Effect.
7. The equator does not experience hurricanes.
Hurricanes never form at the equator since they need the Coriolis force, which is very weak at the equator, to spin.
8. Hurricanes Rarely have Lightning and thunder
Vertical winds cause water and ice to rub together, causing Lightning and thunder to form. Horizontal wind causes most hurricanes, which rarely have Lightning and thunder. However, in the year 2005, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Emily, and Hurricane Katrina all had extensive thunder and Lightning.
9. The Eye of the hurricane is calm
Hurricanes have what we call the eye diameter, which is typically 20–40 miles (30–65 km) in mostly calm weather. Therefore, if the eye of the storm passes over your area, the storm will calm. However, the eyewall surrounds the eye where the most severe weather occurs.
10. The deadliest hurricane ever experienced is Bhola Cyclone in Bangladesh
Bhola Cyclone in Bangladesh is the deadliest hurricane on record in 1970, and it killed between 150,000-300,000 people. The deadliest hurricanes mostly have occurred in southeastern Asia and India due to flooding in low-lying, densely populated areas.
Nature has a lot for us to learn. Facts about hurricanes are inexhaustible, and some are unknown. Seasons of hurricanes bring a humbling reminder that most of nature remains unpredictable despite the rich advancement of technology. Who knows? It might also prove that there is an Infinite being on the wheel of nature.
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