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Island Physics

WEATHER AND NAVIGATION

Home >> Oceanography >> Weather and Navigation 
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6.3 - Hurricanes

Objectives:
  • To know how a hurricane is formed and maintained, and the early warning signs of an approaching storm.
  • To understand the difference between track speed and rotational speed, and so determine the 'dangerous quadrant'.
  • Be able to understand a hurricane forecast such as issued by NOAA and BWS.
Students in Bermuda and the Caribbean need no introduction to these violent storms.  Recently the island has been hit by a succession of direct hits.  Fay and Gonzalo in 2014, Joaquin in 2015, Nicole 2017, Humberto 2019.  Before that, the two most famous hurricane events were Emily 1987 and Fabian 2003.  Also, it was a hurricane in 1609 that mortally damaged the Sea Venture and led to founding of the Bermuda.  

But what are these powerful storms and how do they work?
Picture
Radar image that shows the eye of Hurricane Gonzalo directly over the island.
Picture
Hurricane Gonzalo, this photo shows a house on John Smith's Bay that get pummelled every time there is a hurricane. One has to wonder how the owners get it insured.
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones.  They are formed around an intense area of low pressure, known as the eye.  There are a couple of major differences between a tropical cyclone and an extra-tropical cyclone.
  • They are much smaller.  Typically 100-200 nm across.
  • They don't have fronts.
  • The winds are much stronger, particularly at the eye wall.
​
In order for a hurricane to form the following conditions must be met:
  • warm sea surface temperatures \(\geqslant 27^{\circ}\text{C}\)
  • At least 300 km from the equator
  • Low wind shear between the surface and the upper levels of the troposphere.
ACTIVITIES
hurricanes.pptx
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File Type: pptx
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oc_6.4_hurricane.docx
File Size: 958 kb
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Navigation >>

Other Resources

Water and Weather
BBC hurricanes
clouds
NOAA - Guide to Weather Forecast Models
NOAA - Satellite Imagery (real time)
Met Office - Education
NOAA Explorer - Hurricanes interactive


  • HOME
  • YEAR 9
    • Assessment System
    • Inheritance
    • Plants >
      • Kitchen Garden Project
    • Acids and Alkalis
    • Energetic Reactions
    • Energy Resources
    • Mechanics
    • Environmental Science
  • IGCSE
    • Forces and Motion
    • Energy and Energy Resources
    • Solids, Liquids and Gases
    • Waves
    • Astrophysics
    • Electricity
    • Magnetism
    • Nuclear Physics
    • IGCSE revision
  • Physics I
    • Kinematics >
      • Variables and Units
      • Describing Motion
      • Equations of Motion
      • Problem Solving
      • Projectiles
      • Kinematics Animations
    • Dynamics >
      • Forces
      • Static Equilibrium
      • Newton's Laws
      • Friction
      • Advanced Problems
    • Gravitation and Orbits >
      • Circular Motion
      • Vertical Circles
      • Universal Gravitation
      • Orbits
      • Circular Motion Animation
    • Energy >
      • Work
      • Springs
      • PE and KE
      • Conservation of Energy
      • Work-Energy Theorem
    • Linear Momentum >
      • Impulse
      • Conservation of Momentum
      • Types of Collision
      • 2-D Collisions
    • Simple Harmonic Motion >
      • Mass on Spring
      • Pendulums
      • SHM Animations
    • Rotational Mechanics >
      • Torque
      • Rotational Kinematics
      • Rotational Dynamics
      • Angular Momentum
      • Rotational Energy
    • Mechanical Waves >
      • Waves on a String
      • Sound
    • AP-1 Revision
    • AP Physics C (Mechanics)
  • Physics II
    • Fluid Mechanics
    • Thermal Physics
    • Electrostatics
    • Magnetic Fields >
      • EM Induction
    • Interference and Diffraction
    • Optics
    • Modern Physics
    • AP 2 Revision
  • OCEANOGRAPHY
    • The World Ocean >
      • What is Oceanography
      • History
      • Lat and Long
      • Size and Origin
      • Plate Tectonics
    • Seawater >
      • A Salty Sea
      • Measuring Salinity
      • Thermal Properties
      • Density Profiles
      • Drinking Seawater
    • Circulation and Climate >
      • Global Heating
      • Coriolis Effect
      • Surface Currents
      • Vertical Motion
      • Thermohaline Circulation
      • El Nino
      • Carbon Cycle
    • Waves and Tides >
      • Wave Motion
      • Formation of Waves
      • Beaches
      • Tsunamis
      • Tides
    • Observation Systems >
      • Challenges
      • The CTD
      • Moorings
      • Sound Waves
      • Robotics
      • Satellites
    • Weather and Navigation >
      • Weather Systems
      • Weather Forecasting
      • Hurricanes
      • Navigation
      • Life at Sea
    • Oceans and Mankind >
      • Ocean Acidification
      • Pollution
      • Fish Stocks
      • Climate Change
      • Energy Resources
    • Atlantic Explorer Cruise
    • ROVs
  • COLLEGE
    • College Physics I
    • College Physics II
  • CONTACT