Updated:
January 23, 2008 16:50  

Tropical storms and hurricanes are a part of life in the Sunshine State. Ever since records have been kept, there have been plenty of stories about destructive winds originating in the tropics and sweeping across our state.

Why is Florida in the path of so many hurricanes? It’s because of our unique geographical location. Florida lies in the subtropical zone, which extends roughly the length of the peninsula. As a result, storms developing in the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea often are steered toward the state by the Bermuda or Subtropical High, a large area of high pressure that sits over the Atlantic during the summer months. We also are surrounded by very warm waters, which breed and support hurricanes: the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Caribbean Sea well to the south.
How often does Florida get hit by tropical storms and hurricanes? Tropical storms threaten the state almost every year, and most years experience a direct strike from a tropical storm. Hurricanes, on the other hand, are not as frequent, but they’re still rather common.

On average, hurricanes seriously threaten South Florida once every four years. Northeast Florida gets threatened by hurricanes once every 11 years, on average. This, of course, doesn’t mean that hurricanes will affect us only every four years or so. Hurricanes can strike any year and, therefore, we need to be prepared each and every hurricane season.

The lack of hurricane strikes in Florida the last two years is not uncommon. We have gone two years in a row without hurricane strikes. Nevertheless, we need to always be ready in case we’re not as lucky this upcoming hurricane season.

It’s not just a lot of wind

Hurricanes are known and feared for their ferocious winds that blow down trees and damage homes. The strongest hurricanes can have winds in excess of 155 miles per hour. Storms of such strength are classified as Category 5 hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. Hurricane Andrew, which struck South Florida in 1992, was the last Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, causing almost $30-billion in damage and killing a total of 40 people.

However, it is not just a hurricane’s wind that can cause death and destruction. Flooding from torrential rains can produce a lot of damage. In fact, Florida’s record for the most rainfall in a 24-hour period came from a hurricane. Hurricane Easy in 1950 dumped more than three feet of rain in Yankeetown along the northern Gulf Coast in Levy County.

Other recent storms, such as Hurricane Irene in 1999, Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, caused extensive flooding of many streets and neighborhoods across Florida. In some cases, streets and towns were flooded for days after the storm. (See story on flooding, Page 14.)

Storm surge is another water-related hazard that potentially can kill. Storm surge, which is the rise in ocean water level that accompanies a hurricane, is highest near the path of the center of the storm. In the strongest hurricanes, this storm surge can be as high as 15 to 20 feet above normal water levels. This amount of water easily can flood coastal communities with pounding waves. The combination of rising water and pounding waves is often deadly. Worldwide, approximately 90 percent of all deaths in hurricanes are drownings in either storm surge or rainfall flooding.

Another risk is tornadoes that often are embedded in the spiral bands of hurricanes. These tornadoes can ndevelop suddenly and strike a community even though the center of the hurricane may be more than 100 miles away. Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 spawned a total of 18 tornadoes in Florida, most of them in the Panhandle.

Detecting and forecasting hurricanes

The National Hurricane Center in Miami tracks tropical systems from their birth until they make landfall and dissipate, or move out over cold waters. Meteorologists use several data sources to observe and track developing tropical storms and hurricanes. When systems are developing very far from land, satellite imagery is used to locate the center and estimate the strength of the winds.

Other data sources, such as ocean buoys, ships and remote sensing instruments aboard satellites, also are used. When storms begin to threaten land areas, planes are flown into the center of the systems and release instruments known as dropsondes onto the ocean surface below in order to accurately determine the storm’s location and strength. These planes are known as hurricane hunter planes, and are flown by United States Air Force Reserve and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) personnel. The planes fly at altitudes of 5,000 to 10,000 feet, often encountering a lot of turbulence as they enter the center of the storm. (If you’re prone to getting motion sickness, don’t ride on a hurricane hunter plane!)

Once meteorologists know a storm’s location and strength, the next step is to predict its track and strength out to five days. To do this, meteorologists use very sophisticated aids known as computer models. There are several different computer models, which take in numerous amounts of data and produce their own forecasts. One of the most important jobs of the hurricane forecaster is to determine which model is the best for a particular forecast. The official forecast is then issued by the National Hurricane Center, and National Weather Service offices all across Florida step in to provide locally specific information on the storm’s potential effects in your neighborhood.

Prepare to prevent panic

Your main protection against hurricanes is to be prepared and have a plan. A hurricane plan doesn’t have to be anything extremely complicated, but should at least consist of the following two things.
First, determine whether you live in an evacuation zone. This information can be obtained from your local emergency management office. If you live in an evacuation zone, know when and where you will be going to pass the storm. Have a list of emergency telephone numbers handy.
Second, stock up on non-perishable supplies, batteries for electronic devices such as your NOAA Alert Radio, and have a disaster supply kit ready.
When a storm threatens your community, stay

Watch and warning: Know the Difference

A hurricane watch issued for your part of the coast indicates the possibility that you could experience hurricane conditions within 36 hours. This watch should trigger your family’s disaster plan, and protective measures should be initiated. A hurricane warning issued for your part of the coast indicates that sustained winds of at least 74 mph are expected within 24 hours. Once this warning has been issued, your family should be in the process of completing protective actions and deciding the safest location to be during the storm.

Hurricane tracking maps:

http://www.weather.gov/os/hurricane/images/ atlchartshpmillclr.pdf

http://www.weather.gov/om/hurricane/images/ atlnoaachart.pdf

Being prepared

Robert Molleda reminds us that the lesson that we should learn from all these differences in hurricanes is that we need to prepare for every storm based on that storm’s potential, and not on our memories of what happened in some other storm, even if it was the same strength. You and your family need a family disaster plan, especially if you need to evacuate your home. Create a plan for evacuation purposes. What important items will you take to an evacuation shelter or a relative’s house? You need to plan carefully. Choose 15 items to take with you when you evacuate your home. Look for pictures of these items in the newspaper. Cut out the pictures and paste them on a piece of paper. Next to each item, briefly explain why you need to take it with you.

Sunshine State Standards: SS.B.1.3; SS.D.1.3; SC.H.3.3; LA.B.2.3

Saffir-Simpson Scale

• Safely store and transport fuel in authorized containers away from generators.
• Install generators outdoors, away from windows, doors, vents, and other sources of fresh air for building interiors (generator fumes include carbon monoxide, which can be toxic without warning). NEVER operate a generator indoors or in a garage!
• Install and routinely check battery-operated carbon monoxide and smoke detectors with alarms wherever generators are used.
• Turn generators off and wait for them to cool before refueling to avoid fire danger. Never refuel a generator while it is in operation.