Hurricanes / Tropical Storms » All About Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, and Typhoons

ID #1032

Science of Hurricanes: The online meteorology guide - pretty cool stuff


Graphic by: Dan Bramer
Fly through a 3-D Hurricane!
added (1/08/1999)

Requires a VRML player/plugin. See bottom of page for a recommended one.

Interact with Atlantic hurricanes from 1950-2003!!

Hurricanes are cyclones that develop over the warm tropical oceans and have sustained winds in excess of 64 knots (74 miles/hour). These storms are capable of producing dangerous winds, torrential rains and flooding, all of which may result in tremendous property damage and loss of life in coastal populations. One memorable storm was Hurricane Andrew (pictured above), which was responsible for at least 50 deaths and more than $30 billion in property damage. The purpose of this module is to introduce hurricanes and their associated features, to show where hurricanes develop, and to explain the atmospheric conditions necessary for hurricane development. The Hurricane module has been organized into the following sections:

Sections
Last Update: 09/16/99		 Definition and Growth
Defines a hurricane and shows the regions and mechanics of hurricane development.

Stages of Development
The different stages of development from depression to hurricane.

Structure of a Hurricane
Discusses the structure of different parts of hurricanes.

Explore a 3-D Hurricane
View a hurricane in a 3 dimensional VRML world generated by a computer model. Requires a VRML player/plugin. See bottom of page for a recommended one.

Movement
The influence of global winds on the movement of hurricanes.

Satellites and Hurricane Hunters
Discusses the tools and means meteorologists use to observe and track hurricanes.

Preparations
Includes a list of matters to consider if you are threatened by a hurricane.

Damage and Destruction
Destructive features associated with hurricanes, plus the Saffir-Simpson Scale for classifying damage potential.

Hurricane Tracks
Track Atlantic Hurricanes interactively from 1950 to 2003.

How They Are Named
The different names given to hurricane-like storms in different parts of the world.

Global Activity
Discusses the regions of the Earth where tropical cyclones can be found.

El Niņo
See how El Niņo appears to affect hurricane activity.

Acknowledgments
Those who contributed to the development of this module.

Last update: 2007-07-01 09:05
Author: University Of Illinois
Revision: 1.2

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