Hurricane Tracking
Every year, the world experiences hurricane season. During this period, hundreds of storm systems spiral out from the tropical regions of the Earth surrounding the equator, and between 40 and 50 of these storms intensify to hurricane levels. In the Northern Hemisphere, the season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, while the Southern Hemisphere generally experiences hurricane activity from January to March. So 75 percent of the year, it's safe to say that someone somewhere is probably worrying about an impending hurricane.
A hurricane builds energy as it moves across the ocean, sucking up warm, moist tropical air from the surface and dispensing cooler air high in the atmosphere. Think of this as the storm breathing in and out. The hurricane escalates until this "breathing" is disrupted, like when the storm makes landfall. At this point, the storm quickly loses its momentum and power, but not without unleashing wind speeds as high as 185 mile per hour (mph) on coastal areas.
It can take anywhere from hours to days for a tropical disturbance to develop into a hurricane. But if the cycle of cyclonic activity continues and wind speeds increase, the tropical disturbance advances through three stages:
A tropical depression has wind speeds of less than 38 mph.
A tropical storm has wind speeds of 39 to 73 mph.
A hurricane has wind speeds greater than 74 mph.
Between 80 and 100 tropical storms develop each year around the world. Many of them die out before they can grow too strong, but around half of them eventually achieve hurricane status.

Questions
1.  What category of storm has noticeable circulation with maximum sustained wind speeds of 38 miles per hour.
2.  What category of storm has sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour. When reaching tropical storm strength a storm is given a name to aid in tracking it.
3.  What category of storm has sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or more. In the western North Pacific and most of the South Pacific, such storms are called Typhoons. In the Indian Ocean they are called Cyclones.

Use the tactile map of the eastern United States to plot your hurricaneÕs path.
4. What is the name of your hurricane?
Using the longitude and latitude given, plot the course of your hurricane on the tracking map with tacks. Plot all the data points you are given.
5. Describe the path your hurricane has taken so far.
Check in with Ms. Barge.  
6. Predict where the hurricane will go next. Explain or give reasons for your prediction.
Meet in conference. In conference do the following:
a. Use one of your maps to show the path the hurricane taken so far.
b. Decide on one prediction of where the hurricane will go next and where or if it will come ashore. Mark it on your map. 
Check in with Ms. Barge. Plot the actual path of the hurricane with tacks.
7. How long did your storm last?
8. What was the lowest air pressure of your hurricane? 
9. What was the greatest wind speed?
10. When was your hurricane at its strongest? 
11. What category did it reach? 
12. What relationship do you find between the pressure, wind speed and category of hurricane?

Using the Saffir/Simpson Scale described below, categorize your hurricaneÕs disaster potential.
Category one. 74-95 mile per hour winds. No real damage to building structures. Damage primarly to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.
Category two. 96-110 mile per hour winds. Some roofing material, door, and window damage to buildings. Considerable damage to vegetation, mobile homes, and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings.
Category three. 111-130 mile per hour winds. Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Mobile homes are destroyed. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 feet ASL may be flooded inland 8 miles or more.
Category four. 131-155 mile per hour winds. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof strucutre failure on small residences. Major erosion of beach. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain continuously lower than 10 feet ASL may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas inland as far as 6 miles.
Category five. Greater than 155 mile per hour winds. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet ASL and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of the shoreline may be required.