Hurricane (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what a hurricane is, what its structure and classification are like. Also, what are its general characteristics, consequences and more.

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone characterized by high intensity winds, thunderstorms and rains abundant. The storm area of the largest hurricanes can exceed 1000 kilometers in diameter.

These are frequent phenomena in the northeastern basin of the Pacific Ocean and in the North Atlantic, especially in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the intensity of the storms and the large extent of the areas they affect, hurricanes can cause significant material damage and many losses of human and animal lives.

Hurricanes are classified using the Saffir-Simpson scale into five categories, from least to most destructive. To be considered a hurricane, tropical cyclones must have winds that reach 118 kilometers per hour.

Formation and structure of a hurricane

Hurricanes form on the surface of the oceans from the combination of three elements:

A high temperature zone in the atmospheresince hurricanes need hot air to form.
High temperatures in ocean waterssince hurricanes need hot water to form.
High humidity in the atmospheresince clouds, rain and hurricane storms need this moisture to form.

When these three factors combine, warm, moist air rises from the sea surface. As its height increases, it cools, condenses its water vapor particles and forms clouds. As the storm formation progresses, the clouds become larger, more warm and humid air accumulates, a spiral of winds forms and the hurricane is created..

Types of hurricanes

Hurricanes are classified according to their intensity using the Saffir-Simpson scale.which establishes five categories according to wind speed:

Category 1. They have winds of between 118 and 153 kilometers per hour.
Category 2. They present winds of between 154 and 177 kilometers per hour.
Category 3. They present winds of between 178 and 209 kilometers per hour.
Category 4. They have winds of between 210 and 249 kilometers per hour.
Category 5. They present winds of more than 250 kilometers per hour.

Hurricane zones and seasons

The areas where hurricanes occur most frequently are the North Atlantic Ocean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.. In the North Atlantic, they are more repeated and intense in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, while in the Pacific, they occur mainly on the coasts of the Philippines, China and Japan.

Because hurricanes need warm air and water to form, they are much more common in the warmer months. For that reason, the hurricane season extends between June and November, when the northern hemisphere is in summer.

When hurricanes occur in the eastern Pacific Ocean, they are called typhoons. The atmospheric phenomenon is the same, only it changes its name depending on which region of the planet it occurs in.

Consequences of a hurricane

The main consequences of hurricanes are:

Floods. The storms that accompany hurricanes often cause flooding in large affected areas.
Damage to infrastructure. Winds and storms can destroy roads, bridges, ports, homes and general infrastructure.
Interruption of public services. Hurricanes typically cause widespread power outages due to damage to electrical infrastructure and disruption of services such as drinking water and connectivity. They also affect the activity of airports and commercial flights.
Loss of life and population displacement. Hurricanes often cause loss of human and animal lives. When large areas are affected and the reconstruction of infrastructure is very slow and difficult, many people choose to leave their homes and move to other unaffected places.

Hurricane monitoring and prevention

There are organizations that are dedicated to monitoring hurricanes to have information about when and where they will form, their possible path, and where and when they will make landfall. In this way, alert and prevention strategies can be established to prepare people who live in areas that could be affected by the passage of the hurricane.

The main organizations in charge of monitoring hurricanes in the North Atlantic and Pacific are:

The National Hurricane Center (NHC). It is based in Miami, Florida, and is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States. It is the main organization responsible for monitoring and forecasting hurricanes in the North Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Monitors and forecasts typhoons in the Pacific Northwest, especially in areas near Japan.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). It is the national meteorological agency of the Philippines and is responsible for monitoring and forecasting hurricanes that affect the country.

The names of hurricanes

Since 1950, hurricanes have been identified with people's names. Initially, they were called by women's names, but starting in 1970, men's names began to be used as well.

The names are chosen in alphabetical order. Thus, the name of the first storm will begin with A, the second with B, and as the following hurricanes occur, the initial will change according to the alphabet..

This also serves to identify the number of storms that occurred in a season. For example, Hurricane Ivan was the ninth of the 2004 season.

The most destructive hurricanes in history

Some of the most devastating hurricanes in recent history were:

Hurricane Mitch. It happened in 1998. It affected Central America, the Yucatan Peninsula and Florida. Its winds exceeded 280 kilometers per hour. It is estimated that it caused more than 19,000 deaths.
Hurricane Katrina. It happened in 2005. It mainly affected the city of New Orleans, in the United States. It is believed that it was the hurricane that caused the greatest amount of economic losses.
Hurricane Patricia. It happened in 2015. It affected Central America, Mexico and the southern United States. It is believed that it was the hurricane that had the highest wind speeds in history, with more than 345 kilometers per hour.

References

CNE. (2023). What is a hurricane? National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response of Costa Rica. https://www.cne.go.cr/
National Geographic. (2022). What is a hurricane? https://www.nationalgeographicla.com/
Romero, S. (2023). The most devastating hurricanes in history. Very Interesting. https://www.muyinteresante.es/