Download Hurricanes - Newcastle School for Boys

Hurricanes
Your task is produce a written, and verbal, explanation of how hurricanes work
PACIFIC
OCEAN
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/hurricanes/en/
Why do Hurricanes form here?
• Fill in the story board whilst watching the Hurricane animation.
Click link above
for animation
The warm air from thunderstorms and the deep, warm ocean surface (greater than
27 degrees) mix together and start to rise to create low pressure
Trade winds at the equator cause the storm to spin due to the
earth’s rotation. Air continues to rise and the pressure starts
to decrease at higher altitudes.
As the storm moves over the ocean, it picks up more warm moist air. The
speed of its winds increase as more air is sucked in.
Air rises faster and draws in more warm air from the sea
surface whilst sucking cooler air downwards.
It can take hours or days to fully form a hurricane. The eye has calm winds which
are surrounded by a spinning vortex of high winds and heavy rain.
Mini Quiz 10 Questions
1. What is the minimum temperature needed for Hurricanes
to form?
2. Do air particles move from areas of low to high pressure or
from areas of high to low pressure to create winds?
3. What is the name of the winds which blow from the
equator and start to spin the Hurricane?
4. When the clouds stretch over such a large distance they are
effected by the rotation of the earth this is known as the
______ effect?
5. What is the name given to the centre of a Hurricane?
6. What is the word given to describe the spinning high
winds and heavy rainstorms?
7. In which Ocean do Typhoons form?
8. Do Hurricanes tend to travel
a)
b)
c)
West then South?
East then North?
West then North?
9. What happens to a Hurricanes energy when it reaches
land?
a)
b)
c)
Increases
Decreases
Stays the Same
10. What scale is used to measure the strength of a
Hurricane?
Check Your Answers!
1. 27 degrees Celsius
2. High to low
3. Trade Winds
4. Coriolis Effect
5. Eye
6. Vortex
7. Pacific
8. C – West then North
9. B – Decreases
10. Saffir-Simpson
Describe how a hurricane happened… on a
post it note!
To end
Can you explain how a hurricane works to your partner, not looking at your
notes?
Then write a perfect explanation in your book
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zfhd7ty
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/hurricanes/en/