CHASING HURRICANE ANDREW
BACKGROUND: Hurricanes are the most destructive storms on Earth.
They develop from tropical cyclones and are classified as hurricanes
when winds reach 64 knots ( 71mph or 119kph ) . Hurricanes include a small central
eye where winds are light and there are few clouds. Moving out from the eye are narrow bands of intense thunderstorms, heavy rains, and strong winds. This band is
called the eye wall. Hurricanes are typically 500 km across and usually last for a week
or more.
Hurricanes gather energy from warm ocean waters in the tropics. As the warm, humid
air rises, it cools and condenses, releasing heat. This heat warms the air causing it to
rise further. As warm air rises cool air takes its place creating winds. The heat from the
ocean is the fuel the hurricane runs on. For this reason, hurricanes diminish and die
when they move inland or move into cooler water.
In addition to high winds ( gusts up to 172 knots or 192kph or 320 mph ) and the torrential rains, hurricanes produce storm surges. The circular winds, together with the
low pressure eye and high pressure outer regions, create a mound of water in the center. The storm surge causes considerable flooding and is responsible for most damage
and fatalities.
Weather satellites can easily detect hurricanes. Satellite data, along with data from radar and aircraft, is used to follow the path of the hurricane. Through tracking we can
estimate where the storm has been and where it may go. When it appears the hurricane is moving toward land, the National Weather Service issues watches and warnings. A hurricane watch means that a hurricane is likely in the watch areas within 36
hours. A hurricane warning means these conditions are likely within 24 hours. People
living in low coastal areas that could be affected need to evacuate as soon as watches
and warnings are issued.
In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew caused a tremendous amount of human suffering
and billions of dollars of damage in the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana. This hurricane was unusual because it struck the US twice, in Florida and Louisiana. This activity contains the actual tracking data collected on Hurricane Andrew.
PROCEDURE
1. Review the data table. It contains three types of information:
A. Date/Time: Data was collected every six hours from 8/16
through 8/28. Time is given in military convention; for example,
1200 is noon and 1800 is 6pm.
B. Position: This is the position of the eye using latitude and longitude. It is important to remember that the storm is much bigger than the eye. The wind extend out
beyond the eye about 100km in all directions ( a bout one half the area of one 5degree
longitude-latitude square on the map )
C. Wind speed : This is the maximum speed of winds not the speed with which
the hurricane is moving. Wind speed is given in knots. 1 knot = 1.15mph=1.85kph.
2. Plot the data on the map. Make a dot for each position and then connect the dots.
For each position at the beginning of the day, ( time = 0000 ) draw a small star over
the dot.
3. You will be asked to stop periodically and issue warnings and watches based on the
path of the hurricane.
HURRICAN ANDREW TRACKING
DATE/TIME
LATITUDE °N
LONGITUDE °W
WIND SPEED
( K NOTS )
8/21
8/22
8/23
0000*
23.2
62.4
45
0600
23.9
63.3
45
1200
24.4
64.2
50
1800
24.8
64.9
50
0000*
25.3
65.9
55
0600
25.6
67
60
1200
25.8
68.3
70
1800
25.7
69.7
80
0000*
25.6
71.1
90
STOP: # 1. BASED ON HOW FAR THE STORM HAS
TRAVELED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS AND ITS DIRECTION, FOR WHICH LOCATIONS WOULD YOU
ISSUE WARNINGS AND WATCHES? YOU CAN
TELL BY LOOKING AT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE LAST
TWO STARS YOU HAVE DRAWN ON THE MAP. DON ’ T
FORGET THE SIZE OF THE HURRICANE IS MUCH LARGER
THATN THE DOTS YOU HAVE DRAWN.
DATE/TIME
LATITUDE °N
LONGITUDE °W
WIND SPEED
( K NOTS )
8/23
8/24
0600
25.5
72.5
105
1200
25.4
74.2
120
1800
25.5
75.8
135
0000*
25.4
77.5
125
STOP #2: BASED ON HOW FAR THE STORM HAS TRAVELED OVER
THE LAST 24 HOURS AND ITS DIRECTION SO FAR FOR WHICH LOCATIONS WOULD YOU ISSUE WARNINGS AND WATCHES?
DATE/TIME
LATITUDE °N
LONGITUDE °W
WIND SPEED
( K NOTS )
8/24
8/25
0600
25.4
79.3
120
1200
25.6
81.2
110
1800
25.8
83.1
115
0000*
26.2
85.0
115
STOP #3: BASED ON HOW FAR THE STORM HAS TRAVELED OVER
THE LAST 24 HOURS AND ITS DIRECTION SO FAR FOR WHICH LOCATIONS WOULD YOU ISSUE WARNINGS AND WATCHES?
DATE/TIME
LATITUDE °N
LONGITUDE °W
WIND SPEED
( K NOTS )
8/25
8/26
0600
26.6
86.7
115
1200
27.2
88.2
115
1800
27.8
89.6
120
0000 *
28.5
90.5
120
STOP #4 BASED ON HOW FAR THE STORM HAS TRAVELED OVER
THE LAST 24 HOURS AND ITS DIRECTION SO FAR FOR WHICH LOCATIONS WOULD YOU ISSUE WARNINGS AND WATCHES?
DATE/TIME
LATITUDE °N
LONGITUDE °W
WIND SPEED
( K NOTS )
8/26
8/27
0600
29.2
91.3
115
1200
30.1
91.7
80
1800
30.9
91.6
50
0000*
31.5
91.1
35
STOP #5 BASED ON HOW FAR THE STORM HAS TRAVELED OVER
THE LAST 24 HOURS AND ITS DIRECTION SO FAR FOR WHICH LOCATIONS WOULD YOU ISSUE WARNINGS AND WATCHES?
Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
HURRICANE ANDREW WARNINGS AND WATCHES
1. WARNING: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
WATCH: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. WARNING: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
WATCH: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
3. WARNING: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
WATCH: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4.WARNING: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
WATCH: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5.WARNING: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
WATCH: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
HURRICANE ANDREW QUESTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
1. Why is the eye wall dangerous? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. List the dangers associated with storm surges. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
3. How are hurricanes tracked? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4. What is the difference between a warning and a watch? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5. Where did the hurricane do the most damage before striking Florida?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
6. Describe the motion of the storm from beginning to end. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
7. What happened to the direction of Andrew after it came aground in Louisiana? Why
did this happen? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8. Give the day and time that Andrew became a hurricane: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Give the day and time that it should have been downgraded to a tropical storm:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
9. Why did Hurricane Andrew do so much damage to the southern part of Florida?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10. If Hurricane Andrew had traveled up the coast to South Carolina why might it have
been less destructive? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11. Meteorologists have to be careful about issuing warnings and watches. Why?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12. If you lived in a coastal area that was prone to hurricanes, what precautions would
you take?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _