Ocean Water: Miscellaneous Info

Ocean Water: Miscellaneous

Info

Shoreline Features

• Barrier Islands are narrow sandbars that are parallel to, but separate from the coast

• About 300 barrier islands along US coast• Islands are about 10-100 miles off coast– Ex: Outer Banks of North Carolina– Ex: Cape Cod, Massachusetts– Padre Island, Texas

• Between the mainland and barrier islands you would find estuaries, bays, and lagoons– Estuaries are partially enclosed

bodies of water where salt water mixes with freshwater

– Lagoons are shallow, salty bodies of water• Note: all of these areas are

excellent breeding grounds for many animals since they are salty but protected from harsh waves/currents due to barrier islands

Now, let’s talk HURRICANES

• Hurricanes are whirling tropical cyclones (low pressure/rotate counterclockwise)

In other parts of the world, these storms are called typhoons, cyclones, and tropical cyclones

• Hurricanes that hit the east coast originate in the equatorial waters near Africa

Someone, please remind me…WHY?

Saffir-Simpson Scale is used to measure a hurricane’s intensity

Lifecycle of a Hurricane1. Tropical Depression – wind speeds less or equal to

38 mph2. Tropical Storms – wind speeds 39-73 mph3. Hurricane – wind speeds greater than 74 mph

• Once they reach Tropical Storm status, cyclones are named

Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge

Ocean Structure