HURRICANES IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS - Research Paper Example

HURRICANES IN THE UNITED S AND OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS Introduction and scope of thepaper Hurricanes are one of the most devastating natural phenomena known to man. They are chactacterised by strong winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfalls, all of which when combined, leads to extensive loss of human life, destruction of property and ecosystems and the alteration of landscapes. In this view, this paper seeks to explore this natural hazard; generally, the paper examines the nature of hurricanes and its impacts on the United States and other geographical regions which are highly prone. Among the key areas covered in this paper are the definition of hurricanes, how they are formed, the difference between hurricanes and tropical storms, the impacts of hurricanes on the environment, and the challenge of demographic change as a contemporary issue that is associated with hurricanes Definition of hurricanes and an exploration of their formation process A hurricane is a spiralling and powerful form of a tropical cyclone, which originates from warm sea surface and then moves towards the mainland. In order for hurricanes to be formed, the sea water must have surface warmth of more than 27 degrees. This temperature level results in the release of moisture and heat into the atmosphere. As the sea moisture rises it condenses to form storm clouds. During condensation, heat (latent heat of condensation) is released into the atmosphere. It is this heat which propels the hurricane. The latent heat makes the atmospheric air warm thereby causing the air to rise further. The void left by the risen air becomes occupied by additional moist air from the surface of the ocean in a continuous, cyclical pattern. This results in the formation of a wind pattern which is circular in nature. This is what is known as a hurricane. Provided that a hurricane remains above a sea surface of 27 degrees and higher, it keeps on pulling moisture from the sea, thereby becoming larger in size and in momentum. Propelled by the latent heat and wind patterns in the sea, the hurricane may then head towards land where it finally loses its momentum. A hurricane consists of three main layers: the eye, the eye wall and the rain bands. The eye refers to the centre region of a hurricane which is characterised by the presence of very low pressure. The region is also dry and has limited wind. The eye wall is the area around the eye consisting of thick clouds. Within the eye wall, the winds are highly intense and the rainfall heaviest. Rain bands consist of numerous thunderstorms that circulate from the eye. All hurricanes are destructive, yet the magnitude of destruction varies from one hurricane to another. The manner in which storm surges and the intensity of the wind, among other factors, influences the destructive power of a hurricane. To simplify the process of making comparisons and to improve the prediction of hazards for an ensuing hurricane, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations have developed a disaster-potential scale which classifies hurricanes under five categories. Category 1 represents the smallest hurricane whereas category 5 represents the biggest. Differences between a hurricane and a tropical storm Hurricanes and tropical storms fall under one umbrella of natural phenomena known as tropical cyclones. Both are therefore similar in almost every respect, and the only main variation between the two is found in their wind speed. Tropical cyclones have wind speeds ranging between 39 and 73mph whereas wind speeds for hurricanes are in the upwards of 74mph. Hurricanes in the United States and other geographical regions Hurricanes are only found in tropical regions because they require certain weather conditions in order to thrive. A great deal of hurricanes originates from west coast region of Africa, from where they move westwards towards the nothern and southern regions of America continent. For this reason, hurricanes are only experienced in the Carribean, Mexico and the United States regions. What is experienced elsewhere around the globe are typhoons, cyclones other variations of tropical cyclones. Besides experiencing some of the worst hurricane disasters in history, the United States is among the nations which are highly prone to hurricane recurrences. According to Leatherman, the vast Gulf and East coasts of the United States is constantly at a risk, with certain areas being at a higher risk than others. Years of investigation have yielded answers as to why areas such as these are more vulnerable than others. To begin with, these regions tend to have a high propensity for freshwater flooding and coastal erosion. Hurricanes are also characterized by cyclonic energy and dike failure. Florida, Coastal Mississippi, New Orleans, North Carolina, and Texas are some of the worst hit and most vulnerable areas in the United States. Other areas with a high affinity for hurricanes are Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and Wilmington. So far, Mississippi has been ravaged by two of the most devastating hurricanes in history: Hurricane Camile in 1969 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Eastern Long Island on its part has already lived through three notable hurricanes namely, Donna (1960), Gloria (1985) and Bob (1991). Major hurricanes in the History of United States The United States has a long history of hurricanes along its coastline. And while they come and go, many hurricanes become mere footnotes, whereas others, owing to their sheer magnitude and ernomous destruction which they live behind, become important features in the nation’s history. Hurricanes Katrina, Long Island Express, Audrey and Atlantic gulf, Great Galveston, San Felipe-Okeechobee, Great Labor Day belong in the latter category. When it descended upon the shores of Mississipi in 2005, Hurricane Katrina, a category four hurricane, caused 800 deaths and ernomous flooding in New Orleans. Back in 1938, Hurricane Long Island Express had found its way into Long Island and North Carolina, where it paraded stom surges of more than 12 feet and left 600 people dead. Hurricane Audrey of 1957 fell within category 4, and had storm surges that were more 8 feet high and a casualty record of 390 deaths. In 1919, Atlantic-Gulf Hurricane had appeared in Texas as a category 3 Hurricane, where it claimed 287 lives and led to the dissapearance of 500 people. Having gathered sufficient momentum in Cuba, the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 headed for Galveston town in Texas, where it claimed 6000 lives and showcased storm tides that were 15 feet tall. The San Felipe-Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 is regarded as the fourth biggest hurricane that ever hit the mainland of the United States. Felipe-Okeechobee was 9 feet tall, and it caused mass flooding and the loss of 1, 836 lives in Florida, 18 in Bahamas and 312 in Puerto Rico. Another remarkable hurricane is The Great Labor Day hurricane of 1935 that swept through Florida; it was a category 5 hurricane which killed 423 people. Other hurricanes that are noteworthy are the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 which claimed 373 lives in Florida, and the Grand Isle Hurricane of 1909, responsible for 350 deaths in Louisiana (Boehm & Richard, 2003). Environment impact Hurricanes leads to destruction of homes, excessive lose of human life and property. But even more severe are its impacts on the environment: Hurricanes are accompanied by strong winds which cause immense defoliation of canopies and enormous alterations of wooded ecosystems. A case in point is Hurricane Andrew of southern Florida, which stripped away entirevegetations. Mangrove trees were defoliated and wood damaged in the process. Vast amounts of sand were also stripped leaving the coastal marsh exposed. By bringing along intense rainfall and storm surges, they indiscriminately kill wildlife and even go further to change wildlife’s source of food and habitation. In 1989 for instance, Hurricane Hugo greatly reduced Puerta Rican Parrot population. And just a year before, the Cozume Thrasher had found itself on verge of extinction when Hurricane Gilbert visited Mexico Island. Some areas that were destroyed after Hurricane Katrine were breeding areas for sea mammals such as turtles, brown pelicans, fish and redhead ducks. Hurricane Katrina further, led to the closure of 16 National Wildlife Sanctuaries. The Breton National Wildlife Sanctuary for instance lost much of its land to the hurricane (Boehm & Richard, 2003). Additionally, coastal landscapes are altered when huge chunks of sand are moved by dangerous waves and storm surge. The aftermath of Hurricanes Rita, Katrina and Rita, in which shorelines were repositioned by a100 metres or so, is a case in point. Hurricanes have also been known to pollute surface and underground water. When flooding takes place following a hurricane attack, wastes, heavy metals and pesticides combines with the flood water and eventually seeps down where they contaminate underground water. Following the occurrence of Hurricane Katrina, oil spills from various facilities were reported in and around southeastern Louisiana. And whereas some of those spills were contained almost immediately, some oil found its way into the ecosystem. The area known as Meraux was covered by a mixture of oil and water. The challenge of demographic change as a contemporary issue associated with hurricanes Owing to the challenges faced in conducting a credible impact assessment, drawing comparison in hurricane impacts through space and time is a major challenge. For instance, the hurricanes of the years gone by would undoubtedly have a bigger legacy if they had taken place more recently (Boehm & Richard, 2003). Yet in disregard of this fact, damage assessors still insists on compiling historical records, where they only focus on the event and that damage which is of economic nature (only making minimal adjustments to factor in inflation). The main challenge with this approach is that it results in flawed conclusions about the importance of trends in damage caused by hurricanes. Since the property and population at risks has multiplied over time, such approach may underestimate the vulnerability of current populations. For this reason, caution needs to be taken when using damage statistics for policy purposes. Conclusion Until now, hurricanes are still unstopable, and the methods used to aid in their prediction are far from reliable. There is therefore the need for everyone to come to terms with the fact that proper management of its effects is the only choice for dealing with the harzard · Flash flooding for example can be contained through the creation of diversionary spillways and drainage channels. Coastal areas on the other hand can be guarded through the construction of breakwaters, flood barriers and sea walls. Following a storm ravage in which 6000 people were killed, the town of Galveston in Texas went ahead to put up a sea wall which was 3.5 metres taller than its predecessor. Insurance covers are also a reliable cushion for hurricane related losses. The power of government disaster funds and international relief iniatives should not be overlooked. Reference: Blake, S., Eric, Miami., TPC, Edward, Hebert, P., J., Jarrell, D., & Mayfield, M. (1996). The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Hurricanes of this Century (And Other Frequently Requested Hurricane Facts). Hurricanes. Weather wizkids. from http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htm Boehm, G. Richard. (2003). Glencoe World Geography, Glencoe McGraw-Hill. Read More