EXERCISE 14.11 Planning for Hurricanes Name: Course: Section:_ Date: Emergency p
ID: 118479 • Letter: E
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EXERCISE 14.11 Planning for Hurricanes Name: Course: Section:_ Date: Emergency planners must consider all the factors that determine how dangerous a storm will be: shoreline topography and composition, population density, and type of building construction as well as the strength and path of the storm. These conditions can vary widely over short distances and change rapidly if a storm changes direction Storm Path The path of a hurricane determines whether an area is spared or severely damaged, as the path determines effe velocity at any point along the coast. The effective velocity of hurricane winds is a combination of the wind speed in the hurricane and that of the steering winds. In the figure below, Point A, in the direct path of the hurricane, will receive winds of 125 mph because the velocity of the steering winds adds to that of the hurricane itself. (a) What will be the effective wind velocity of the hurricane at Point B? Explain ctive win In general, the right side of a hurricane (the side that would be on your right if you were standing directly hurricane) is the most dangerous because the full brunt of steering and wind hurricane velocities are there. 1 from which hurricane winds strike an area also depends on the precise storm path. Remembering that hurricane flow in a counterclockwise direction, answer the following questions refer he direction winds ring to the figure below (b) As a hurricane passes, the direction of its winds shifts. Explain how a single storm could cause winds from opposite directions to affect an area. The deep estuaries indicated by the arrows in the figure below are highly vulnerable to storm surge because their funnel shapes concentrate water to heights ell above those of typical storm surge. Sketch the the greatest storm surge into each estuary-th Katrina, makes the task easy for A, as it followed almost exactly the worst-case scenario. (c) e worst-case scenario-on the map below. Remembering Hurricane Effect of storm path on effective wind velocity Wind velocity 100 mph Steering wind velocity 25 mph (continued)Explanation / Answer
A hurricane's speed and path depend on complex interactions between the storm with its own internal circulations and the earth's atmosphere. The air in which the hurricane is embedded is a constantly moving and changing "river" of air. Other features in that flow, such as high and low pressure systems, can greatly alter the speed and the path of the hurricane. In turn, it can modify the environment around the storm. Typically, a hurricane's forward speed averages around 15-20 mph. However, some hurricanes stall, often causing devastatingly heavy rain. Others can accelerate to more than 60 mph. Hurricane Hazel (1954) hit North Carolina on the morning of 15 October; fourteen hours later it reached Toronto, Canada where it caused 80 deaths. Some hurricanes follow a fairly straight course, while others loop and wobble along the path. These seemingly erratic changes are difficult to forecast and will be discussed in more detail in the Forecasting section of this module. The Right Side of the StormAs a general rule of thumb, the hurricane's right side (relative to the direction it is travelling) is the most dangerous part of the storm because of the additive effect of the hurricane wind speed and speed of the larger atmospheric flow (the steering winds). The increased winds on the right side increase the storm surge described in the Hazards section of this module. Tornadoes are also more common here.Looking at the figure above, pretend you are standing behind the hurricane with your back to the steering flow. In this case, the right side is the eastern section of the hurricane. (If it were travelling east to west, the right side would be the north section.) The winds around the hurricane's eye are moving in a counterclockwise fashion. At Point A, the hurricane winds are nearly in line with the steering wind, adding to the strength of the winds. For example, if the steering currents are 30 mph and the average hurricane winds are 100 mph, the wind speed would be 130 mph at Point A. On the other hand, the winds at Point B are moving opposite those of the steering wind and therefore slow to 70 mph (100 - 30 mph). Incidentally, NHC forecasts take this effect into account in their official wind estimates.
B)It changes depending on what side of the hurricane you are in. Meaning the center of the hurricane is the “EYE” and after it passes through an area the wind direction changes. Like any other low pressure system,air is flowing into the hurricane from a few angles. Wind flows from high pressure areas into the low pressure hurricane circulation. If the eye of the hurricane is moving NE along the US East Coast the winds would first be blowing from the E/NE as it approaches NYC for example. After it passes and moves further NE into Massachusetts the winds in NYC would turn west.
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