Exploring Hurricanes

Name: _________________________________       Date: _____________

If you live along the Atlantic or Gulf Coast, you may know what it's like when a hurricane takes aim. People may be boarding up windows or dashing out to get food, batteries, and candles. Sometimes, a long line of cars snakes out of town as people evacuate their homes. In this activity, you'll learn all about how hurricanes form.

1. Go to Hurricanes from Weather Wiz Kids. Read What Is a Hurricane? Where does a hurricane get its energy?
2. Describe a hurricane's eye.
3. Scroll to How Do Hurricanes Form? What allows warm air to rise above the ocean surface?
4. What is the Coriolis Force?
5. Why don't hurricanes form near the equator?
6. Look at the numbered What Does a Hurricane Need? diagram. List the five things needed for hurricane formation.
7. Scroll to What Is a Storm Surge? Describe a storm surge.
8. Continue to When Does Hurricane Season Start? Study the diagram. How does hurricane season relate to sea surface temperature?