Raul Gracia
November 1, 2011
Cycle A: Galveston Hurricane of 1900
Hurricane Prior Knowledge Reflection
The History of The 1900 Galveston Hurricane.
There are some very important points from the scenario that may be included as part of my prior knowledge.
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Hurricane record keeping began in the late 1800s.
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A look at the past shows that intense hurricanes have plagued humans for some time.
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Columbus' fourth voyage in 1502 was marred by a colossal hurricane.
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Great Galveston Hurricane occurred at the beginning of the 20th century.
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Galveston was totally unprepared for what was about to happen. Many thought it nearly impossible for a hurricane to threaten the city.
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Many believed the storm would turn to the northeast as it passed the Florida Straits north of
Cuba. This was a commonly accepted notion of how tropical cyclones were supposed to behave. It was unheard of for them to continue to the west.
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The hurricane pushed a wall of water over 15 feet deep onto the island that, at its highest point, was only 8.7 feet above sea level.
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More than 6,000 people lost their lives to what remains the deadliest hurricane to ever hit the
United States (some estimates range as high as 12,000 deaths).
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Galveston is now protected by a huge levee system to guard against future storms. Also, after the disaster, a six-mile long seawall was erected and has since been extended and the island was raised by pumping sand from the floor of the Gulf of Mexico.
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All buildings and roads were also constructed with elevated foundations in the city. When the
Galveston Hurricane of 1915 hit, the city was much better prepared.
My Understanding:
It is to my understanding that the devastation that occurred in Galveston as a result of the hurricane of 1900 was due to the unpreparedness and unfortunate topography of the city of Galveston.
Hurricanes have been common place in the Gulf of Mexico since the beginning of their record keeping and the unfounded perceptions, a lack of knowledge and research of hurricane paths were the main reasons why a city such as Galveston was unprepared to deal with the intensity of the 1900
Hurricane.

Raul Gracia
November 1, 2011
Are Hurricanes increasing in Intensity and Frequency?
There are some very important points from the scenario that may be included as part of my prior knowledge.

A look at the past shows that intense hurricanes have plagued humans for some time.

Columbus' fourth voyage in 1502 was marred by a colossal hurricane.

Great Galveston Hurricane occurred at the beginning of the 20th century.
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Hurricanes Dean and Felix both made landfall in Central America in 2007. It was the first time since record keeping began in the late 1800s that two Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes made landfall in the same year.
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On the same day Felix came ashore, Hurricane Henriette made landfall across the southern tip of Baja California.
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Was Katrina in 2005 the most devastating hurricane to hit North America in recent history?
My Understanding:
Hurricanes are common in the summer and warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico as well as other areas in the tropics. I do not agree that hurricanes are increasing in intensity and frequency because more advanced research and hurricane forecasts have shown that predictions made of hurricane paths and intensities are usually initially wrong and revised to be more or less every year, never more or less frequent. Since the devastation inflicted by the Hurricane of 1900 cities such as Galveston have improved their infrastructure, topography and preparedness for the consequences that a hurricane can bring.
What is the Current Data Regarding Hurricane Formation and Paths.
There are some very important points from the scenario that may be included as part of my prior knowledge.
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Many records were broken during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season including the most hurricanes ever, the most category 5 hurricanes, and the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic as measured by atmospheric pressure.
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The thermal energy in these warm waters powers the hurricanes. Strong shearing winds in the troposphere can disrupt developing young storms, but measurements indicate that there was very little shearing wind activity in 2005 to impede storm formation.
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Satellite data play a vital role in helping us understand the land, ocean, and atmosphere systems that have such dramatic effects on our lives.

Raul Gracia
November 1, 2011
The question being asked was: What conditions have made hurricane formation so favorable?
After looking at the SVS Animation on the 27 Storms: Arlene to Zeta the data showed that in 2005 minimal shearing and extremely warm waters contributed to an abnormal and very active hurricane season. With this information we can make a conjecture that climate change and which contributes to warmer ocean waters might actually be contributing to more frequent and stronger hurricanes.
Questions I Have Regarding Hurricane Formation and Paths.
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What does the current data show regarding ocean temperatures and their changes in the past
10 years?
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What are the conditions that cause wind shear necessary to stump the growth of hurricanes?
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What are the historical paths of higher category 5 hurricanes?
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Which cities have been affected the most by strong hurricanes?
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Can specific weather patterns be pinpointed that contribute to busy hurricane seasons?
 What does Galveston’s current hurricane preparedness plan look like?
 What is Galveston’s current infrastructure in place to prevent major damage from a hurricane direct hit?
ESS Perspective:
When a hurricane forms::
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E>A: Convection allows the formation of clouds through condensation which produce rain.
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E>B: The damage caused by the winds and flooding displace or kill humans and animals, the damage also causes survival hardship for humans and animals.
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E>H: Wind damage and storm surge cause cross-contamination of water sources that are needed by organisms to survive, with ocean water, sewage and chemicals that are tossed around during the event.
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E>L: Wind and storm surge cause land and beach erosion that reshape the land and contributes to the destruction of estuaries and wetlands that are important to wildlife survival.

Raul Gracia
November 1, 2011
List what needs to be done.
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To be able to determine what policy would need to be developed to reduce or control the impacts that hurricanes can bring to cities like Galveston our team would need to research current oceanic data and city hurricane preparedness plans.
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In addition, city infrastructure such as sea walls and water pump stations would need to be evaluated and inspected for readiness and usability in case of storm surge.
Develop a problem statement.
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Possible Problem Statement would be - After researching and compiling expert and critical data analysis on the intensity and frequency of hurricanes in the Gulf of
Mexico, our team will present data and propose policy to bring to light the possibility of more frequent and intense hurricanes in the future and to minimize the possibilities of catastrophic losses in cities such as Galveston by presenting preparedness plans and changes to topography in areas that might be affected by these future hurricanes.