Hurricane – Cycle A
Team Geekets
Problem Based Learning Model
I.
Read and analyze the scenario and situation - Hurricane
Category 5 Hurricanes have caused human and property damage in the United States. Several hurricanes
made landfall in 2007 in both Atlantic and Pacific coastal areas at the same time. Tracking these storms have
been documented as early as the 1900 when a major storms nearly destroyed all of Galveston
II.
List your personal understanding, ideas or hunches
Juana Martinez
Hurricanes have a powerful impact in the
United States and cause major destruction of
people and property. Here in the valley we
have been spared major storms. The last one
that made landfall was Hurricane Dolly which
brought major flooding to our area.
Michelle Salazar
We live in an area where hurricanes are
likely to hit. The area we live in is close
to the Gulf of Mexico. Major hurricanes
hit here every 3-4 years. I have several
questions about hurricanes I would like
to find out about.
I haven’t experienced too many
hurricanes but I do know it is scary to
know that your home can be destroyed in
a matter of hours. When I was a kid, I
remember having to leave my home to
take refuge in a school that was being
used as a shelter. There were a lot of
other families there and each just as
scared as we were. I remember my mom
trying to keep us calm, while my dad just
paced up and down a hallway. I can’t
forget the sound of the rain against the
roof and the hard winds that never
seemed to stop. I also remember weather
reports on TV or the radio. As a grown
up, experiencing hurricanes is a whole
new kind of scary. Now I’m the one trying
to keep my kids calm, but preparing for
the worst.
Claudia Perez
Maria Izquierdo
The subject about hurricanes has always
been an interesting. Much knowledge about
hurricanes has been learning throughout my
high school and college years. I remember
that my science teacher would always tell to
pick a subject to present, and I would always
pick on hurricanes. I always became
interested due to the fact that we live in an
area, that every year we are prone to become
affected by them. How serious is this? Well,
to me this is very serious because hurricane
season starts June 1 and ends November 30,
every single year. This means that from this
time to this time, we can be hit by a
hurricane at any time whether it’s a tropical
storm, up to category 5 hurricanes. So the
valley is very sensitive to hurricanes. During
the 1900’s when the Galveston hurricane hit,
the meteorologist did not have the
technology or resources that they now have
to help predict where, how long, when the
hurricane will hit a place. I think this play a
major role in the Galveston hurricane.
Leticia Calderon
III.
Hurricanes cause destruction to people’s property.
In the last hurricane (Dolly) we experienced a great
deal of flooding to area. The floods caused
damage to local farm lands which affect our
produce prices. Hurricanes also impact the work
force and higher prices for everything from gas to
food. Due to the extensive flooding, a major
problem with mosquitos also occurs.
List what is known
Juana Martinez
What I know?
 There is a hurricane season every year
that runs from June through
November.
I know this because the meteorologist track
the Pacific and Atlantic very careful during this
time for any storms that may developed.
 Hurricanes have different categories
according to the wind strength.
I know this because I have lived through
several tropical storms that have been
categorized as low as tropical depression to
hurricanes like Alicia that made landfall
through Houston
Michelle Salazar
What I know?
I know that hurricane start as a tropical wave and
can turn into hurricanes within days.
I know this because I watch the weather channel
when a tropical storm is on its way.
What I know?
Hurricanes are unpredictable and can increase in
strength within hours.
I have seen how a hurricane headed our way
changes path within hours of predicted landfall.
Claudia Perez
Hurricanes :
 cause millions of dollars in damage due
to high winds and heavy rain
 cause mass flooding of homes and
roads
 can be unpredictable
 can have winds of 100 mph or more
 travel in spiral formation and the
center of the storm is the most
dangerous
 hit coastal areas
 form in the ocean
 cause fear and apprehension in coastal
areas take down power lines and
affect water drainage systems
How do I know it
Maria Izquierdo
I haven’t experienced too many hurricanes but
I do know it is scary to know that your home
can be destroyed in a matter of hours. When I
was a kid, I remember having to leave my
home to take refuge in a school that was being
used as a shelter. There were a lot of other
families there and each just as scared as we
were. I remember my mom trying to keep us
calm, while my dad just paced up and down a
hallway. I can’t forget the sound of the rain
against the roof and the hard winds that never
seemed to stop. I also remember weather
reports on TV or the radio. As a grown up,
experiencing hurricanes is a whole new kind of
scary. Now I’m the one trying to keep my kids
calm, but preparing for the worst.
 It is the most Catastrophic hurricane
to hit the state of Texas.
 It killed thousands of people.
 It hit as a category 4 hurricanes.
 It hit the city of Galveston TX.
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Leticia Calderon
IV.
Destroy most of the city
Flooded the city
People were left without light for days
for those who did not evacuated the
city.
cost the city of Galveston too much
money in repairs
cause health problems, because of
water contamination, due to bodies
floating in the water
They only occur during a set season.
Other climate changes the severity and number of
hurricanes.
They are unpredictable. We don’t know the
effects of the impact or its exact place it will land
until it hits land.
List What is unknown – Hurricane Scenario
Juana Martinez
Michelle Salazar
What is unknown?
 How can we predict the next major
storm that will affect our area?
 Can the valley survive a major storm?
 Will there be more storms as a result
of global warming?
 Can we (mankind) weaken the storms
before landfall or be pushed
somewhere else where is not heavily
populated?
 Does the valley have a good evacuation
plan?
 How can we prepare for a major
storm?
1. How are hurricanes created?
2. How do meteorologists track a
hurricane?
3. What gives hurricanes the power
to destroy so many homes and
towns?
4. How can we prepare for a major
hurricane?
5. How can people prevent a
hurricane? Or can we?
6. Are hurricanes and tornados
related to each other?
7. Where do hurricanes start? Or
end?
Claudia Perez
Maria
1. What conditions are needed for a
hurricane to form?
2. What are scientists doing to better
track hurricanes?
3. How does global warming affect a
hurricane?
4. Do hurricanes kill ocean life?
5. Will we have more or less hurricanes
due to global warming?
6. What are the long term effects of
hurricanes?
7. How can people become better
prepared for a category 5 hurricane?
I don’t know how many people died?
Why didn’t people evacuate, when
they were told, if they were told to
evacuate?
Did any children die in the hurricane?
After the hurricane, did it cause any
tornadoes? If it did it cause more
destruction that the hurricane.
What were the conditions of the
residents of the city of Galveston after
one month, 6month, and one year?
What was the population of the City of
Galveston, Texas at the time the
hurricane hit the city?
Leticia Calderon
V.
List what needs to be done – Investigating Hurricane
Investigation Questions – What needs to be done?
Juana Martinez
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Michelle Salazar
How can we predict the next major
storm that will affect our area?
How can we prepare for a major
storm?
How are hurricane categorized?
How often do weather meteorologist tract the
predicted paths?
Claudia Perez
8. How does global warming affect
a hurricane?
9. Will we have more or less
hurricanes due to global
warming?
Maria Izquierdo
What type of communication do local
cities have?
Who is in charge of the communication
efforts in the valley?
Leticia Calderon
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VI.
What can be done to minimize damage
during a hurricane?
What are the greatest number of
hurricanes that impacted our area?
Develop a problem statement – Hurricane Scenario
Every hurricane season that runs from June to late November, we
watch the weather closely and track tropical storms that might
affect the valley. Hurricanes can come into our southern coast and
cause major destruction just like the Hurricane that made landfall
in the 1900’s in Galveston. Research shows that these storms are
becoming more intense and more frequent. In 2007, two category
hurricanes made landfall in the Pacific and Atlantic Coast at the
same time. We need to learn about these powerful storms and how
to keep them from causing so much destruction of lives and
properties.
VII.
Gather Information
What did we find to support our problem statement?
Juana Martinez

How can we predict the next major storm that will affect our
area?
Around April of each year, meteorologist starts talking about how
many storms are predicted for the season and how many of them
are expected to make landfall. Now scientist can even predict the
number of named storms and how intense they will be.
Scientist can predict approximate wind speeds and intensity for
sustained winds. This is calculated by comparing to past seasons.
The sustained wind speed follows the Poisson distribution with
some accuracy. The storms are predicted based on the activity
from the past years and current measures of factors in the climate.
They is some discrepancies in the prediction so In reality there is no
precise way to predict a hurricane. Basically, meteorologists use
the data such a water temperature, wind patterns, jet stream,
humidity levels to name some. The use this weather conditions to
determine if the condition is favorable for an active hurricane
season.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0502-hurricanes_predicting_2006.htm
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How can we prepare for a major storm?
Hurricane preparedness poster
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/2011_HAW_poster.pdf
Hurricane disaster supply list
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/supply_kit.shtml
Check list for you and your family
Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each
hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be
your home but within your community.
Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These
should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.
Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family
members have a single point of contact.
Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to
evacuate.
Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure
your children know how and when to call 911.
Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered
by homeowners insurance.
Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit.
Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6
months, as you do with your smoke detectors.
Take First Aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/family_plan.shtml
Michelle Salazar
How are hurricane categorized?
You may have heard the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale referred to in a
weather report, or seen it mentioned in an article, in relation to a hurricane. For
example: “Hurricane (blank) is now a Category 1 storm…”
The National Hurricane Center explains it this way:
It’s a way to categorize the storm based on the hurricane’s intensity at an
indicated time.
All hurricanes are dangerous, but some are more so than others. The way
storm surge, wind and other factors combine determines the hurricane’s
destructive power. To make comparisons easier and to make the predicted
hazards of approaching hurricanes clearer to emergency managers, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's hurricane forecasters use a
disaster-potential scale, which assigns storms to five categories. This can be
used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding
expected along the coast with a hurricane.
The scale was formulated in 1969 by Herbert Saffir, a consulting engineer, and
Dr. Bob Simpson, director of the National Hurricane Center. The World
Meteorological Organization was preparing a report on structural damage to
dwellings due to windstorms, and Dr. Simpson added information about storm
surge heights that accompany hurricanes in each category.
Here is general information about the five hurricane categories, wind
speeds, and effects:
Category 1: Winds 74-95 mph - Damaging winds are expected.
Effects: No real damage to building structures. Damage primarly to
unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Also, some coastal road
flooding and minor pier damage.
Category 2: Winds 96-110 mph - Very strong winds will produce widespread
damage.
Effects: Some roofing material, door, and window damage to buildings.
Considerable damage to vegetation, mobile homes, and piers. Coastal and
low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of center. Small craft in
unprotected anchorages break moorings.
Category 3: Winds 111-130 mph - Dangerous winds will cause extensive
damage.
Effects: Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with
a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Mobile homes are destroyed. Flooding
near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by
floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 feet ASL may be flooded
inland 8 miles or more.
Category 4: Winds 131-155 mph - Extremely dangerous winds causing
devastating damage are expected.
Effects: More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof strucutre
failure on small residences. Major erosion of beach. Major damage to lower
floors of structures near the shore. Terrain continuously lower than 10 feet
ASL may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas inland
as far as 6 miles.
Example of Category 4 hurricane from space - Hurricane Luis, 1995:
Wikipedia information about Hurricane Luis: Hurricane Luis was a very
large, very intense Category 4 Hurricane, formed August 27, 1995, as well as
being among the most notable storms of 1995. Due to the severe damage and
loss of life caused by Luis in the Lesser Antilles, the name was retired in the
spring of 1996, and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane. It was
replaced with "Lorenzo" in the 2001 season. Luis was the first L name to be
retired since 1954, and was the first Atlantic hurricane name to be retired in
three years since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Source: Wikipedia - Hurricane
Luis
Category 5: Winds greater than 155 mph - Catastrophic damage is expected.
Effects: Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings.
Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away.
Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet ASL
and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas
on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of the shoreline may be required.
National Hurricane Center: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
A revised version, called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
(Experimental), is now available on the National Hurricane Center’s website.
It has removed storm surge ranges, flooding impact and central pressure
statements from the scale and only employs peak winds.
Here's the link: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (Experimental), National
Hurricane Center
Continue reading on Examiner.com Hurricanes 101: How are hurricanes
categorized? - National Tropical Travel | Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/tropical-travel-in-national/hurricanes-101-how-arehurricanes-categorized#ixzz1fzepm9NO
How often do weather meteorologist tract the predicted paths?
UPDATE BY:Jim Williams..... The hurricane season has ended with 19
named storms of those seven became hurricanes. On my annual Hurricane
season kickoff show I made my city and island picks for impacts from named
storms which can be seen on my predictions page. Once again I did pretty good
with 3 of my top 5 areas hit with the worst impact being on Great Exuma Isl
Bahamas my #4 pick. The island was hit by Hurricane Irene with 120mph winds on
Aug 24th causing extensive damage. This is why I always say that if your location
is in my top 5 your chances of a significant impact are way above normal. On June
1st I stated that I felt South Florida would be impacted during the season. I was so
confident of this prediction that I placed a bet that if the area was not impacted I
would wear a costume of the viewers choice. After many emails were sent in, the
number one choice was for me to wear a hot dog suit with sponge bob and tinker
bell as close second's. South Florida was not impacted by a named storm in 2011
so I wore the hotdog suit on the November 30th end of season broadcast. Archive
subscribers can watch the two hour show here .
Claudia Perez
#8
The number of severe hurricanes has doubled worldwide even though the
total number of hurricanes has dropped over the last 35 years, a new study
finds.
The increase in major storms like Katrina coincides with a global increase
of sea surface temperatures, which scientists say is an effect of global
warming.
The possible relationship between global warming and hurricane strength
has been a topic of controversy for years.
The new study supports another one released in July, in which climatologist
Kerry Emanuel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed for
the first time that major storms in both the Atlantic and the Pacific since the
1970s have increased in duration and intensity by about 50 percent.
http://www.livescience.com/9349-increase-major-hurricanes-linkedwarmer-seas.html
#9
Global warming might not fuel more intense hurricanes in the Atlantic after
all. Despite increasing ocean temperatures that feed the monstrous storms,
climate change may also be ramping up the winds that choke off a
hurricane’s development.
http://www.livescience.com/1434-study-global-warming-hinderhurricanes.html
Leticia Calderon
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What can be done to minimize damage during a hurricane?
 Hava a family plan to evacuate
 Take care of loose debris such as lawn furniture
 Board up windows and doors
 Install hurricane shutters to protect window and doors
 Have a plan to evacuate in case of severe flooding
What area in the U.S. has the greatest number of hurricanes that impacted
the area?
 The greatest number hurricanes to affect an area is Florida. Many
Florida cities are listed on the top most areas hit by a hurricane.
http://www.disastercenter.com/guide/hurricane.html
Maria Izquierdo
What are the steps meteorologists take when a hurricane
approaches? What type of communication do cities have when
they prepare for a hurricane?
There is a forecast process when it comes to the type of
communication local cities have:
 watches
 warnings
 forecasts
 Analyses of hazardous weather conditions in the tropics.
The coordination falls into three categories:
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1st - Hurricane Hotline Coordination
2nd - International Coordination
3rd - Emergency Manager Coordination
National Weather Service (NWS) national centers,
NWS forecast offices, NWS river forecast centers, and
several Department of Defense installations.
INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION
The TPC issues watches and warnings for the United
States. However, the national weather services of the
Caribbean countries, Central America, Mexico,
Bermuda, and Canada
COORDINATION WITH EMERGENCY
MANAGERS
One way this occurs is through a briefing for federal,
state, and local emergency managers held by the
Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT) of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Tools use
1. Weather radio
2. Radar
3. sky warn
Here in the valley National Weather Service Weather
Forecast Office of Brownsville, TX is in charge of the
communication efforts in the valley
Maria Izquierdo
Who is in charge of the communication efforts in the valley?
Here in the valley National Weather Service Weather Forecast
Office of Brownsville, TX is in charge of the communication efforts
in the valley.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bro/?n=hurrprep
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/forecast/coordination.shtml
Event to Sphere interactions
E
A
Hurricanes have strong winds but only for a short time during the storm however
Hadley cells do exist in the atmosphere. Hurricanes are located in the troposphere
layer of the atmosphere.
E
H
Hurricanes affect the action of the waves during the storm. There is also mixing of
the water as the result of the action of the waves but only about 100 feet down.
E
L
Hurricanes will increase erosion of beaches. The rainfall can loosen the soil and
cause mudslides.
E
B
Hurricanes will have a major effect on bio domes and human lives.
Video of recent hurricane – Dolly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzCoyZUn8Us
Dolly aftermath – disaster in the Valley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ddbLUnzXfY
Dolly in pictures: