Cape
Coral Hurricane Information Living in Cape
Coral Florida means to always be prepared
by keeping an eye in the sky. WhatsUpCapeCoral.Com
Offers plenty of information to keep
you informed and prepared of any storms
that may affect our area.
The
ingredients for a hurricane include a pre-existing
weather disturbance, warm tropical oceans,
moisture, and relatively light winds aloft.
If the right conditions persist long enough,
they can combine to produce the violent
winds, incredible waves, torrential rains,
and floods we associate with this phenomenon.
Each year, an average of
eleven tropical storms develop over the
Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf
of Mexico. Many of these remain over the
ocean and never impact the U.S. coastline.
Six of these storms become hurricanes each
year.
In an average 3-year period,
roughly five hurricanes strike the US coastline,
killing approximately 50 to 100 people anywhere
from Texas to Maine. Of these, two are typically
"major" or "intense"
hurricanes (a category 3 or higher storm
on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale).
What is a Hurricane?
A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, which
is a generic term for a low pressure system that
generally forms in the tropics. The cyclone is
accompanied by thunderstorms and, in the Northern
Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of
winds near the earth's surface. Tropical cyclones
are classified as follows:
Tropical
Depression
An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms
with a defined surface circulation and maximum
sustained winds* of 38 mph (33 kt**) or less
Tropical
Storm
An organized system of strong thunderstorms
with a defined surface circulation and maximum
sustained winds of 39-73 mph (34-63 kt)
Hurricane
An intense tropical weather system of strong
thunderstorms with a well-defined surface
circulation and maximum sustained winds
of 74 mph (64 kt) or higher
*
Sustained winds
A 1-minute average wind measured at
about 33 ft (10 meters) above the surface.
**
1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour
or 1.15 statute miles per hour. Abbreviated
as "kt".
Hurricanes are categorized according
to the strength of their winds using the
Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale.
A Category 1 storm has the lowest wind
speeds, while a Category 5 hurricane has
the strongest.
These are relative terms, because lower
category storms can sometimes inflict
greater damage than higher category storms,
depending on where they strike and the
particular hazards they bring. In fact,
tropical storms can also produce significant
damage and loss of life, mainly due to
flooding.
The
ingredients for a hurricane include a pre-existing
weather disturbance, warm tropical oceans,
moisture, and relatively light winds aloft.
If the right conditions persist long enough,
they can combine to produce the violent
winds, incredible waves, torrential rains,
and floods we associate with this phenomenon.
