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From: To Higgi From Dorinda
Date: 11/24/02
Time: 1:50:21 PM
Remote Name: 64.12.96.198
Higgi,(Do people still call you that?) I'm impressed. You did a great job. I've looked for a L>E but couldn't find just that however, I did find one that is L>E>L>B>H>B. I don't know if we want to use it or not but look at it and see what you think. L>E>L>B>H>B Hurricanes are born over tropical oceans when the water is warmer than about 80 degrees. They all start as areas of disturbed weather. Hurricanes move into the middle latitudes and are driven northeast by the westerlies, occasionally merging with midlatitude frontal systems, Hurricanes draw their energy form the warm surface of the tropics. (L) Hurricanes decay primarily when they lose their source heat energy over land or over cold water. They decay rate depends on the intensity at landfall and the forward motion of the hurricane. Normally when a hurricane moves inland, it weakens to tropical storm intensity within 6 to 12 hours, and to a tropical depression within 18 hours. (E) hurricanes weaken rapidly over land. Hurricanes cause elevated sea level, known as storm surge. Storm surge is simply water that is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds, (L) Because of storm surge many coastlines are eroding. The Louisiana barrier island shoreline is eroding at a rate, in some places, exceeding 20 meters per year as result of both hurricanes and normal processes. Hurricane Andrew stripped sand from 70 percent of the barrier islands leaving exposed old coastal marsh. Erosion of the barrier islands may be gone and the wetlands will be lost even faster. Biologist Mike Erwin from the USGS Patuxennt Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, MD researched the effects of Hurricane Floyd on birds and deer. His research indicated that the hurricane disrupted the Shorebirds migration. They were pushed inland and ended up feeding and roosting in agricultural fields in eastern Tennessee and Kentucky. Deer were not able to feed on vegetation in the flood plain of the Patuxent River because of serious flooding. (H) Huge waves caused by hurricanes produce floods that can destroy life and property. Areas away from the coast can be highly effected by these flooding. (B) About 90% of the deaths that occur during hurricanes result from drowning in floods. Resources: Galliano, Dean. (2000). The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. New York, NY. Green, Jen. (1996). Closer Look at Hurricanes and Typhoons. Copper Beech Books. Brookfield, CT http://encarta.msn.com http://www.accuweather.com/wx/school/anatomy.htm