Name:
Oceans and Weather
TEK 8.10C
Hurricane Web Quest
The student is expected to identify the role of the oceans in the formation of weather systems such as
hurricanes.

Key Concept 5: Hurricanes use warm, moist, tropical
air as their fuel; they form when this air rises up from
the ocean surface and create a low-pressure system
underneath. As the clouds form and rotate, they spin
faster and are fed by the warm, evaporating water from
the ocean’s surface.
http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/howhurrwork.html?237,214
Go to the above link and take the Fact or Fiction: Hurricane Quiz
Your score
/10
Directions: Go to each web site about hurricanes and complete the questions. Be sure to read all
the information on the website not just what is needed for the question! You are becoming an
expert hurricane scientist.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/photos/hurricanes/
1. What is the name of the first hurricane pictured?
2. How long ago did this hurricane happen? _____ years ago
3. How far out from the eye (middle) of the storm were the winds? _____miles. (Next)
4. Hurricanes are ___________, ___________tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over
______miles an hour and unleash more than 2.4 ____________ gallons of rain a day. (Next)
5. On September 14, 2003, describe Hurricane Isabel was a rare _____________ ___ with sustained
winds of ____________ miles per hour. (Next)
6. When is the peak of the Atlantic Ocean’s hurricane season?
7. What country did Hurricane Aletta effect?
8. Describe the difference between Hurricane Isabel and Hurricane Aletta.
9. What is the best way to defend oneself against a powerful hurricane?
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/04/forcesofnature/forces/hurricanes.html
10. Why did the Spanish use the name “huracan” for these powerful storms centuries ago?
Name:
Oceans and Weather
TEK 8.10C
11. Today, how is it determined if a storm is a hurricane or not?
12. What are the three different names for these big storms over the ocean and where in the world are
they located? _________________________ formed in
_____________________________________________
_________________________ formed in ______________________________________________
_________________________ formed in ______________________________________________
13. How many tropical disturbances form each year? _______ What percentage of them become more
than thunderstorms? _________%
14. Off of what continent do hurricanes begin? ____________________
15. Describe how they get their energy.
16. When is the storm given a name?
17. When is it determined to be a hurricane?
18. Name and describe the three main parts of the hurricane.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/hurricanes/
19. Why are the ocean storms like giant engines?
20. Illustrate the cross section of a tropical cyclone. Label high and low pressure on your illustration.
Name:
Oceans and Weather
TEK 8.10C
21. What direction do the winds blow?
22. What can the hurricane’s heavy rains cause? _____________________, ________________ and
__________________ ________________.
23. What is the most dangerous part of the hurricane? ________________ __________________
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml
24. Spell your name phonetically with the 2017 Atlantic Names
Example Jennifer would be Jose, Emily, Nate, Nate, Irma, Franklin, Emily and Rina
25. Can you have a tropical storm named for you?
26. Why are storm name removed from the list?
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/
27. What kind of damage can a hurricane’s winds cause?
28. 9 out of 10 deaths during a hurricane are due to storm surge. Describe the damage storm surge
causes.
29. Describe two storms where storm surge was the main killer. Include when and where the storms
happened.
http://www.403wg.afrc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=7483 or
http://www.hurricanehunters.com/
30. Who are “Hurricane Hunters”?
31. Describe what they do in no more than 3 sentences.
Name:
Oceans and Weather
TEK 8.10C
32. Why is it necessary to fly into a hurricane’s clouds?
33. What information do they collect?
http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
34. What are the differences between and hurricane watch and a hurricane warning?
35. Why is it important for you to know about hurricanes?
http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/howhurrwork.html?237,214
36. What fuels (powers) a hurricane?
37. Why do you think a hurricane only forms over water and looses power over land?
38. What do the colors in the radar stand for? Be specific!
39. Click on “Hurricane Diagram”. Describe the most powerful part of the storm.
40. Where is the calmest part of the storm?
41. What do you think are the 5 most important things on the Hurricane Shopping List? Explain why you
think each is MORE important than the other things on the list.