As hurricane season approaches, being aware of hazards and having a plan for evacuation, in the case a tropical cyclone (hurricane) occurs, can be lifesaving. The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and concludes on November 30. The storms that occur during this time are among the most powerful and destructive of all natural phenomena. The United States Department of Homeland Security, the American Red Cross, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , Texas Department of Public Safety, and many more agencies work diligently to create awareness and provide resources to keep Americans safe throughout hurricane season.
During hurricane season, tropical cyclones are more likely to form. Tropical cyclones are a rotating organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originate over tropical or subtropical waters, have a closed low-level circulation, and rotate counterclockwise. Not all tropical cyclones produce hurricanes. The NOAA defines a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 38mph or less as tropical depressions. A tropical storm is a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph. Hurricanes are a tropical cyclone with wind speeds of 74 mph or higher and a major hurricane has a maximum sustained wind speed of 111 mph or more. Read the full article.