Hurricane management Flashcards
Are hurricanes easy to track and predict?
no
What are ways of predicting where hurricanes will track?
- Satellites
- Weather radar
- Aircraft
- Buoys and floats
- Computer models
How can satellites predict hurricanes (track) ?
Satellites are now much more sophisticated and can measure the size of hurricanes, the direction they are travelling, but also cloud structure and ocean temperatures.
What do scientists need to know to track hurricanes?
temperature (air and sea), pressure, wind speed/direction and moisture:
Weather radar:
The US has a total of 155 radars constantly scanning the skies over the US and its surrounds. They are capable of recording wind and precipitation data.
Aircraft:
The US Air Force uses aircraft to drop sensors into hurricanes to measure wind speed, wind direction, pressure, etc.
Buoys and floats:
These can measure water and air temperature, wave height and the direction and speed of wind.
Computer models:
All the information that is collected from the four methods above is then fed into computers to try and predict future movements and changes of hurricanes. However, even with improved data, models can often pick very varied courses and changes of hurricanes. To the right is a map showing the different computer predictions for Hurricane Katrina - you can see the predicted tracks are very varied.
Why were some evacuation warnings ignored in August 2005? - Hurricane Katrina
- Can’t afford to leave (no transport)
- Fear of leaving home (possible water/wind damage and robbery)
- To old, young or ill to leave/travel
- Don’t trust predictions
- Confidence in defences
- Warnings too late
- Lack of knowledge, no communication, no warning
- Underestimate of risk
NHC -
National hurricane centre
NOAA -
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US government agency that monitors conditions in the oceans and atmosphere)
