Page 9 - Talk of Tequesta - June '23

The Talk Of Tequesta, Page 9

norThern noTes

Hurricane Facts And Trivia

By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

It’s that time of year In 1971, Hurricane Ginger lasted for over three weeks. When the
when our thoughts turn to In 1989, Hurricane Hugo completely destroyed several National Hurricane
the tropics and we keep our forests in South Carolina. Center began
fingers crossed for a quiet In 1999, Hurricane Floyd was barely a Category 1 giving official
hurricane season. Below are hurricane, but it still managed to mow down 19 million trees name to storms in
some interesting facts about and caused over a billion dollars in damage. 1953, they were
these giant storms to kick off Only five Category 5 hurricanes (the highest category on the originally all
the hurricane season. hurricane strength scale) have hit the continental United States female. Hurricanes
Hurricanes, typhoons since the beginning of the 20th century: the 1935 Florida Keys didn’t start having
and tropical cyclones are Labor Day Hurricane, Hurricane Camille in 1969, Hurricane male names until 1979.
all the same phenomenon. Andrew in 1992, Hurricane Michael in 2018 and most recently The worst hurricane damage is often caused by a storm
In the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Ian in 2022 attained Category 5 strength just hours surge. A storm surge is like a giant wall of water pushed onshore
hurricanes are generally known as typhoons. In the Indian before it made landfall on the west coast of Florida. by hurricane winds. Most people who die in hurricanes are
Ocean they are called tropical cyclones. In the Atlantic Hurricane Katrina is the costliest hurricane to have ever hit killed by the towering walls of sea water that comes inland. The
Ocean they are called hurricanes. The word hurricane the United States, causing some $192 billion dollars’ worth of 1900 Galveston hurricane, a Category 4 hurricane that struck
comes from the Taino Native American word, hurucane, damage in New Orleans and across much of the Gulf Coast. It Galveston, Texas, drove a devastating surge ashore; between
meaning evil spirit of the wind. was a Category 5 storm at one point, but a Category 3 when 6,000 and 12,000 people died, making it the deadliest natural
The earliest hurricane report comes from Christopher it made landfall along the Louisiana-Mississippi border. disaster ever to strike the United States.
Columbus in 1495, who encountered a tropical storm on The most intense tropical cyclone ever measured when The planet Jupiter has a hurricane which has been going on
one of his voyages to the New World. He later declared considering a storm’s central pressure (this pressure drops as for over 300 years. It can be seen as a red spot on the planet.
that “nothing but the service of God and the extension of cyclones become stronger) was Typhoon Tip, which on Oct. This hurricane on Jupiter is bigger than the Earth itself.
the monarchy”’ would induce him to expose himself to 12, 1979, had a central pressure of 870 millibars. In the southern hemisphere, hurricanes rotate in a clockwise
such danger. The most intense tropical cyclone in terms of the highest direction, and in the northern hemisphere they rotate in an anti-
The first hurricane to hit the American Colonies happened wind speeds measured was Tropical Cyclone Olivia, which clockwise direction. This is due to what’s called the Coriolis
on August 25, 1635. struck Australia in 1996. It had wind speeds of 253 mph (407 Force, produced by the Earth’s rotation.
The first time anyone flew into a hurricane happened in kph) the fastest wind ever measured on the Earth’s surface. Hurricane season is from June to November when the seas
1943 in the middle of World War II. Every second, a large hurricane releases the energy of 10 are at their warmest and most humid, which are ripe conditions
In 1944, the United States Navy’s Pacific fleet was crushed atomic bombs. for a hurricane to develop. While hurricane season can be a
by Typhoon Cobra, which sank three destroyers and damaged Originally, hurricanes were given the names of saints who stressful and uncertain time, being prepared is the best thing
many ships. were honored on the day the storm occurred, according to you can do to ease that stress. Being prepared allows you to be
Bangladesh was created after a hurricane. In 1970, this the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For in control, not the storm; be safe, be aware and be prepared!
region of Pakistan was struck by a cyclone and 500,000 example, the hurricane that hit Okeechobee, Fla., in 1928, NPDES tip: Hurricane Season begins June 1. Make sure
people died. The people felt their government did not do was alternately called the Okeechobee hurricane and the San your yards and trees are trimmed to avoid flying debris during
enough to help after the disaster so in 1971, they voted to Felipe Segundo hurricane because it hit on the feast day of a storm. Dispose of your trimmings and clippings properly.
become independent of Pakistan and Bangladesh was born. Saint Philip. Do not put them into storm drains or lakes!