What we think we know about hurricanes predictability.
The evidence and findings stated here forth is based on true fact-not fiction.
Human kind present dependency on fossil fuels and dredging of our oceans for oil has changed the landscape of our frail environment.
What is a Hurricane? A severe tropical cy-clone originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involving heavy rains. A wind with a speed of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour, according to the Beaufort scale. Something resembling a hurricane in force or speed.
The above information is taken from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Third Edition-Copyright-1992)
In the last twenty years-the persistent nature of more violent storms is ever present. The 21st century has bared unprecedented documentation and evidence of new super and powerful devastating hurricanes.
The more recent powerful storms have been noted from 1996-1997-1998 and 1999-this can be called the violent period of our introduction to the new super-storms.
The study of hurricane activity in this century has changed our compromising landscape.
These storms have brought about new found education from expert study; there is no more room for skeptical revision of the facts that are so clearly available from many sources. There is no denial that we must work towards better design in construction of building structures and re-think about building less on the coastline areas.
If our nation can begin to understand and realize the magnitude of damage that buildings endure in relation to hurricanes volatility-architects, engineers and structural designers will need to improve safety as a priority.
Within our present technology and science we can prevail and prepare to create safe-houses for evacuees in need of shelter when a violent storm is prevalent.
There have been many pioneers of science and storm technology have suggested underground bunkers be mandatory in all cities that are susceptible to hurricanes.
The trepidation of global warming has spawned a new type of storm; climatologist could often predict the cause of most hurricanes. Now there is something new and alarming about the once predictable warm-air that can give a hurricane its strength.
Climate change has made the earth warmer than ever-this chemistry has without a doubt spawned erratic hurricane behavior-we have come to know as Katrina, Floyd, Hugo (read more hurricane hugo’s path), Ivan and Andrew.
The 2007 hurricane season is far from over, one and a half year ago a tropical depression formed below the Hurricane Belt, its bearing was very close to the coastal region of Curacao. This event was rather a surprise to the residents of the neighboring islands; this is something that ever rarely happens in this region. A few days later this depression formed into a category 1 hurricane, it soon fizzled out after a day, there was not enough conducive climate to support its permanence.
There had been a 30 year period where the 20th century civilization was not confronted by major storms; this was relatively a calm period for hurricane activity.
But that would all change in 2005-this was the year that would produce the most storms recorded in history.
Hurricanes originate in all tropical ocean areas, except the South Atlantic.
The winds of a hurricane whirl counterclockwise (in the Northern Hemisphere) in the storm, with the highest speeds in a circular band beginning at the edge of the “eye” and extending out 20 miles to 30 miles or more. In this area wind speeds may reach 150 miles per hour, with brief gust at even higher speeds.
At the center, there is usually a small, cloudless core from 5 m. to 20 m. across. This core is called the “eye”, since the sky is often clear or only partly cloudy and the winds are usually light.
Hurricanes may vary in size; range may be from 25 miles to 500 miles, (the size of Texas) in the past few years have been duly noted. As a hurricane fully develops, its path may measure several thousand miles long-from its original place of birth-beginning in the Tropical Atlantic or Caribbean.
The tapestry and history of the most deadly US storms can be located in the archives of hurricane history. The earliest reported findings date back to 1900; this was the Galveston Hurricane, the deadliest natural disaster in US history. There were 8,000 to 10,000 lives lost, and $20 million dollars in damage-in addition the storm rated as a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.
During this time, there was no technological information to inform Texas residents where the storm was headed, ships would be the only source of information.
Later in the 20th Century-Hurricane Katrina would be the third most costly and deadly storm to hit the US in 2005; damages were estimated at $81.2 billion dollars, Katrina produced 1,836 fatalities.
The current levy system that is still under construction by the core of Civil Engineers has been subjected to staunch criticism from New Orleans residents, political activist and layman who see this as nothing but a temporary band-aid.
The levee’s will not be able to withstand other category 5 hurricanes, many of the coastline and in-land areas are so badly eroded, it will take several years and millions of dollars to repair this unquestionable damage.
There are thousands of residents still waiting for their homes to be rebuilt; many are living in make-shift trailers provided by FEMA, as endless bureaucracy keeps many families at bay.
In the last year FEMA has auctioned off hundreds of new Double-wide and Single-wide mobile homes, in spite of many residents of New Orleans, Louisiana that are in desperate need of housing. These homes were supposed to be for the needy victims; instead they were auctioned off to the highest bidder through GSA.
Two years after this devastating natural disaster, there are very disturbing questions that have come about from concerned citizens throughout the United States.
There were millions of dollars that were donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina-from noted Hollywood personalities, well known businesses, and many other sources too numerable to mention.
The City of New Orleans has been hardest hit economically, forty five to sixty percent of residents have relocated to different cities-many may not return due to the city financial woes.
In this century there is a sense of urgency to sanction a time-table where the US government will make new provisions available for all American people in need of aid when a natural disaster occurs.
There should be no division whom ought to be worthy when tragedy should strike, the by-laws need to be modernized in order for fair and constitutional rights for all US citizens.
In tragedy we are brought together in honest heart displaying our true human-nature.
