(1) People living on the East Coast of the United States can experience different kinds of large storms. Hurricanes and nor’easters can both cause strong winds and heavy rain, but these storms form and develop in very different ways. Hurricanes: Storms from the Tropics (2) One large storm, a hurricane, forms over the warm water by the equator. Hurricanes are huge storms, often 100-500 miles across. The clouds rotate around a center, called the eye. (3) Hurricanes form in warm water all around the world. In the Northwest Pacific, these storms are usually called typhoons. In the Atlantic, they are called hurricanes. Warm water near the equator keeps hurricanes strong. Once they travel inland or over ne, caused he Gulf of Hurricanes and Nor’easters: Destructive Storms
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(1) People living on the East Coast of the United States can experience different kinds of large storms. Hurricanes and nor’easters can both cause strong winds and heavy rain, but these storms form and develop in very different ways.
Hurricanes: Storms from the Tropics (2) One large storm, a hurricane, forms over the warm water by the equator. Hurricanes are huge storms, often 100-500 miles across. The clouds rotate around a center, called the eye.
(3) Hurricanes form in warm water all around the world. In the Northwest Pacific, these storms are usually called typhoons. In the Atlantic, they are called hurricanes. Warm water near the equator keeps hurricanes strong. Once they travel inland or over cooler water, these storms get weaker. They start to break apart.
(4) A hurricane can cause a great deal of destruction. In order to be a hurricane, a storm must have sustained winds of over 74 miles per hour. The strongest hurricanes have had winds approaching 200 miles per hour. At this speed, the wind can destroy houses and uproot trees. Hurricanes also cause heavy rain. The heavy rain leads to flooding and mudslides.
(5) Hurricanes also cause storm surges. A storm surge happens when ocean water rises quickly and moves inland. In
Hurricane Katrina, a hurricane, caused widespread damage along
coast.
Hurricanes and Nor’easters:
Destructive Storms
many hurricanes, the storm surges cause more damage than the winds. For example, the Galveston hurricane of 1900 caused a storm surge that led to the deaths of between 6,000 and 9,000 people. This was the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States.
Nor’easters: Winter Storms (6) Hurricanes can form in warm waters all over the world. On the other hand, nor’easters form only on the Northeast coast of the United States. The mix of water, land, and winds in this area allows these nor’easters to form.
(7) Nor’easters can form in any season. But they are the most damaging during the winter months. The storms that become nor’easters form in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike hurricanes, nor’easters actually become stronger as they meet cold air masses. (8) Nor’easters can cause severe damage. They bring high winds and heavy rain. Because nor’easters often occur in the winter, they can also bring heavy ice and snow. The ice and snow often cause roads, schools, and businesses to close. The deadliest nor’easter on record occurred in 1888, when 40-50 inches of snow fell in New York. In the years since then, other nor’easters have caused damage such as eroded beaches, collapsed roofs, and downed trees.
(9) While hurricanes and nor’easters are different in many ways, one thing is certain—no one wants to be caught in the path of either storm!
Satellite imagery shows a 2010 nor’easter.
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