Name: ___________________________Period: ___________ Date: ______________
Group Members:
Hurricane Watch (Latitude and Longitude Lab)
Introduction: Hurricanes are one of nature’s most powerful
disasters!
To equal the power of a hurricane one would have to set off about a
thousand nuclear devices per second for as long as the hurricane rages. It
is very difficult to predict where a hurricane will travel, but this Prediction is very important, especially if you
are in its path. In this lab you will be plotting the path of some of the most deadly, devastating, and recent
hurricanes. You will be asked to analyze the strength of the hurricanes, compare their speed of travel, and
their paths’ of destruction.
Storm Surge: "The greatest potential for loss of life related to a hurricane is from the storm surge." - Brian
Jarvinen, National Hurricane Center. Storm surge is simply water that is pushed toward the shore by the
force of the winds swirling around the storm. This advancing surge combines with the normal tides to create
the hurricane storm tide, which can increase the mean water level 15 feet or more. In addition, wind driven
waves are superimposed on the storm tide. This rise in water level can cause severe flooding in coastal areas,
particularly when the storm tide coincides with the normal high tides. Because much of the United States'
densely populated Atlantic and Gulf Coast coastlines lie less than 10 feet above mean sea level, the danger
from storm tides is tremendous.
Directions: Plot the hurricanes’ paths using their latitude and longitude. Use a different colored pencil to
mark the paths of the different hurricanes. Use the Saffir-Simpson scale to determine the category of the
hurricane and answer the analysis and conclusion questions. Latitude and longitude are given in degrees and
minutes. Remember each degree can be divided into 60 minutes.
Saffir-Simpson Scale: The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1-5 rating based on the hurricane's present
intensity. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the
coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are
highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf in the landfall region.
Category
Tropical
Storm
Wind Speed
1
74-95 mph
2
96-110 mph
3
111-130 mph
4
131-155 mph
5
156 mph +
Description
39-73 mph
No real damage to buildings. Damage to unanchored mobile homes. Some damage to
poorly constructed signs. Also, some coastal flooding and minor pier damage.
Some damage to building roofs, doors and windows. Considerable damage to mobile
homes. Flooding damages piers and small craft in unprotected moorings may break their
moorings. Some trees blown down.
Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings. Large trees blown
down. Mobile homes and poorly built signs destroyed. Flooding near the coast destroys
smaller structures with larger structures damaged by floating debris. Terrain may be
flooded well inland.
More extensive curtain wall failures with some complete roof structure failure on small
residences. Major erosion of beach areas. Terrain may be flooded well inland.
Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete
building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. Flooding causes major
damage to lower floors of all structures near the shoreline. Massive evacuation likely.
1
Name: ___________________________Period: ___________ Date: ______________
Group Members:
Hurricane Andrew (1992): Hurricane Andrew was
the most destructive United States hurricane of record. It blasted its
way across south Florida on August 24, 1992. NOAA's National
Hurricane Center had a peak gust of 164 mph—measured 130 feet
above the ground—while a 177 mph gust was measured at a private
home. Andrew caused 23 deaths in the United States and three
more in the Bahamas. The direct loss of life seems remarkably low
considering the destruction caused by this hurricane. The hurricane
caused $26.5 billion in damage in the United States, making
Andrew the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.
Plot the following points as an X on your map; connect your points. Label the category of the storm.
Note: readings taken every 12 hours
#
Month
Day
Year
Time
N.Lat
W.Long
MPH
1
Aug
20
1992
00:00
21º, 40'
60º, 40'
46
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
20
21
21
22
22
23
23
24
24
25
25
26
26
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
1992
12:00
23º, 10'
62º, 35'
52
00:00
24º, 25'
64º, 10'
58
12:00
25º, 20'
65º, 55'
63
00:00
25º, 50'
68º, 20'
81
12:00
25º, 35'
71º, 05'
104
00:00
25º, 25'
74º, 10'
138
12:00
25º, 25'
77º, 30'
155
00:00
25º, 35'
81º, 10'
127
12:00
26º, 10'
85º, 00'
132
00:00
27º, 10'
88º, 10'
132
12:00
28º, 30'
90º, 30'
138
00:00
30º, 00'
91º, 40'
92
12:00
31º, 30'
91º, 00'
40
Category
2
Name: ___________________________Period: ___________ Date: ______________
Group Members:
Hurricane Jeanne (2004):
Jeanne hit Florida after Charley, Frances,
and Ivan. In six weeks these storms shut down much of the state and prompted
recovery plans on a scale never before seen in the nation. Jeanne was blamed for
at least six deaths in Florida. The storm had already cut a deadly path through
the Caribbean, where floods in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico
killed over 3,000 people. Haiti suffered the heaviest toll. Two days of torrential
rains caused massive flooding and mudslides in the northern region, killing close
to 3,000 people.
Plot the following points as an X on your map; connect your points with a different colored line. Label the
category of the storm. Note: readings taken every 6 hours
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Month
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Day
20
20
21
21
21
21
22
22
22
22
23
23
23
23
24
24
24
24
25
25
25
25
26
Year
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
Time
5:00PM
11:00PM
5:00AM
11:00AM
5:00PM
11:00PM
5:00AM
11:00AM
5:00PM
11:00PM
5:00AM
11:00AM
5:00PM
11:00PM
5:00AM
11:00AM
5:00PM
11:00PM
5:00AM
11:00AM
5:00PM
11:00PM
5:00AM
N.Lat
27º, 25’
27º, 25’
27º, 40’
27º, 30’
27º, 20’
27º, 00’
26º, 40’
26º, 20’
26º, 05’
25º, 40’
25º, 30’
25º, 40’
25º, 55’
26º, 05’
26º, 05’
26º, 15’
26º, 25’
26º, 30’
26º, 30’
26º, 35’
27º, 10’
27º, 15’
27º, 25’
W.Long
71º, 15’
70º, 35’
70º, 00’
69º, 20’
68º, 50’
68º, 45’
68º, 40’
68º, 30’
69º, 00’
69º, 20’
69º, 30’
69º, 40’
70º, 20’
70º, 45’
71º, 35’
72º, 25’
73º, 30’
74º, 55’
76º, 10’
77º, 35’
78º, 40’
80º, 00’
81º, 10’
MPH
80
80
85
85
85
85
85
90
90
90
90
95
95
95
90
90
90
90
95
105
115
110
95
Category
3
Name: ___________________________Period: ___________ Date: ______________
Group Members:
Hurricane Ernesto (2006):
Remnants of this storm brought many of
our Labor Day plans to a halt. Wind speeds of over 50mph brought many trees and
and limbs down causing massive power outages all along the South Shore of Long
Island. Beach erosion hit Robert Moses State Park most severely, affecting nearly the
entire beachfront. Sunken Meadow Park on the North Shore lost two to four feet of dunes.
The wind pushed the sand up to the point where a lake, two to three feet deep, was
created on Jones Beach near the West Bathhouse. At least six died in North Carolina
and Virginia as the storm made its way up the Eastern Seaboard.
Plot the following points as an X on your map; connect your points with a third color.
Note: readings taken every 12 hours.
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Month
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Sept
Day
25
25
26
26
27
27
28
28
29
29
30
30
31
31
1
1
2
2
3
Year
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
Time
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
03:00PM
03:00AM
N.Lat
13º 12’
13º 30’
14º 48’
15º 06’
16º 48’
17º 36’
18º 36’
20º 18’
21º 42’
23º 18’
24º 54’
26º 24’
28º 42’
31º 18’
33º 54’
36º 24’
37º 30’
38º 42’
40º 42’
W.Long
63º 54’
66º 24’
69º 06’
71º 12’
72º 42’
73º 42’
74º 42’
75º 42’
78º 48’
79º 30’
80º 30’
80º 54’
80º 36’
79º 36’
78º 12’
77º 36’
76º 48’
76º 48’
76º 54’
MPH
35
35
45
50
60
75
50
40
40
45
45
35
35
60
70
35
40
50
35
Category
Analysis:
1. Mark the 30ºN Latitude line on your map. State the general direction that the storms moved below this
line. ________________________ What direction did the storms move above this line? ____________________
2. Go to page 14 of the ESRT. What is a likely reason for the general paths of the storms? _________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
4
Name: ___________________________Period: ___________ Date: ______________
Group Members:
3. Cuba is 1,140km across. Create a scale for your map. Show your work.
4. Speed is distance divided by time. What was the average speed (not wind speed) of Hurricane Andrew
between points #5 and #11. Show your work.
5. What was the average speed of Ernesto between points #9 and #19 Show your work.
6. Where are the storms when they had their strongest winds? ________________________________________
7. What happens to the wind speeds and intensity of the storm as they move over land? __________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Based on what you already know about seasons and hurricanes, make an inference about why most
Hurricanes form in the months of July, August, and September._________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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