Hurricanes & Thunderstorms

by OUSIA M. (Senior)

Hurricanes are large, rotating tropical cyclones of extraordinary violence. They develop from minor tropical depressions over the warm waters of all tropical an subtropical oceans except the South Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. They usually develop in the time between June and October.

In order to be classified as a Hurricane the tropical cyclone must have wind speeds of at least 73 miles per hour, and have violent and rapid rain fall. The entire storm is 300 to 500 miles wide. The total rainfall in the course of a typical storm averages from 3 to 6 inches. Hurricanes are not as violent as tornadoes or as big as extratropical cyclones, but their combination of considerable size and great intensity makes them the most dangerous and destructive of all storms.

Many thunderstorms occur in Texas every year. In the summer it is often possible to watch a thunderstorm form. The sky may be clear in the morning, or a few altocumulus clouds might be present. As the earth becomes warmer, small cumulus clouds appear and begin to grow. These clouds may become large, to wearying cumulus clouds that bring a little rain. As the towering cumulus clouds continue to grow, an anvil of clouds spreads out at the top and extends ahead of the main clouds. The clouds are now cumulonimbus, and a thunderstorm usually follows.

These kinds of storms happen often in East Texas. The winds get very strong and sometimes even get up to 85 miles per hour. Every so often these thunderstorms get so strong that their winds destroy homes and even kill people. Although, thunderstorms seem to have a bad reputation they are very soothing and relaxing while sleeping.

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