What+is+a+hurricane,+how+do+they+form+and+how+do+we+classify+them?+-+R

//THE HURRICANE // //Did you know? // //Hurricane Wilma, which took place during October 2005, // //was the strongest hurricane since the records began in 1851. //

Science p. 7

By A. N. Ajike

 2012

** So What’s A Hurricane? ** A hurricane or tropical cyclone is a powerful storm that forms in the ocean and causes destruction when it hits land. These monsters are gigantic inward swirling storms, and their winds move at a speed of 75 mph (120 kph) at the least. A hurricane can happen anywhere in the world, but most occur around tropical areas (the mid-Atlantic and Pacific), and form in tropical waters.

** So many Parts. . . ** Although a hurricane may only look like a huge swirling object, it’s a lot more complex than that. For example, in the middle of every hurricane is an open space. That open space is called the “ eye ” of the hurricane. This diagram shows the different parts of a hurricane .

** The Big Splash ** The creation of a hurricane is very complex and fascinating. All through the year, gentle winds circle the earth. These winds form when cold high pressure air from the north and hot low pressure air from the south, collide around the equator, forcing warm air up into the atmosphere. This area is called the inter-tropical convergence zone <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">, and is a perfect spot for a hurricane to form.
 * Hey! All this temperature stuff sound interesting. Click** What is temperathere **to find out more on this topic.**

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the sun bakes the air hovering over the ocean waters. As the air warms up, it rises up into the atmosphere, taking much water vapor with it. This happening is called <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">convention <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">. After that, <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">condensation <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> takes place, which is when the air starts to cool and form storm clouds. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">There is one last step to forming a hurricane. A wave of hot fast moving air called the <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">African-easterly wave <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">gains speed as it races across the continent of Africa. As it moves across the continent, the wave of wind hits mountains, which form little ripples in the wave. As the wave ripples off the African coast, it hits the storm clouds sitting over the tropics, and starts them spinning. As the wind and storm clouds move together, they begin to from a more organized band. If the two become organized enough, a hurricane will form. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">After a storm comes a rainbow. But how does a rainbow even form? To find out more on this topic click here **.** **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Which Class? ** <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Not every hurricane is exactly the same. Some are larger, some are smaller. Some do more damage than others. They even have different wind speeds. Because of all this, hurricanes are classified. There are five different types of classes. Each hurricane is classified by wind speed, central pressure, and damage potential. Hurricanes that are classified three through five are considered major and are extremely dangerous. Hurricanes classified below that are not as major, but are still very dangerous.
 * Want to learn more on air. click here to learn about** air pressure **.**

Glossary (reddened words)
**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">+ African-easterly wave **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">: The hot wave of wind that gains speed as it rushes across the continent of Africa. **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">+ Condensation **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">: When the air and water vapor in the atmosphere cools and forms clouds. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**+ Convention**: When water warmed by the sun turns into vapor and rises into the atmosphere. **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">+ Eye **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">: The open space in the center part of a hurricane. **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">+ Hurricane (tropical cyclone **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">): A powerful storm that forms in the tropics and causes massive destruction wherever it hits land. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**+ Inter-tropical convergence zone**: The warm wind around the tropics. **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Citahtions ** <span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">+ //__<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"hurricane." Compton's by Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. __//

<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">+ //__<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2012. web. 13 Sept. 2012. __//

<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">+ Chambers, Catherine. D//isasters in Nature: Hurricanes,// Chicago: Heinemann Library, 1954. Print.

<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">+ //__<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Engineering Nature: Engineering Hurricanes Discovery Channel, 2009. Full Video. __//

<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">+ //__<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Discovery Education.web. 25 September 2012. __//

<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">+ //__<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Glenday, Craig. Guinness World Records 2011. Mina Patria, 2011 __//

+ Nature’s Fury.net

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