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By Lisa Klobu
Table of Contents
Chapter One
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1
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2
Cooking Up a Storm
Chapter Two
Circling Winds
Chapter Three
Naming the Beast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chapter Four
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4
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5
Changing Land and Water
Chapter Five
Protecting Ourselves
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Chapter One
Cooking Up a Storm
A hurricane forming
Here is a recipe for you. Take miles and miles of ocean water. Add
heat from the tropical sun and a bit of moisture. Cool with air and
stir well. What do you get? You get a big storm called a hurricane.
A hurricane is one of Earth’s most powerful and feared storms.
Sometimes hurricanes grow into gigantic formations, almost like a
mythical beast. Hurricanes can cause major destruction. Where do
these powerful hurricanes come from, though?
A hurricane forms over warm ocean water. The water needs to be
at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This is why hurricanes form only
over tropical seas. These warm and moist environments allow for
hurricane formation.
Title: The Ultimate Storm
Grade: 4
Page: 1
Chapter Two
Circling Winds
A hurricane’s growth depends
on certain factors. You may
be surprised to learn that a
hurricane actually starts as a
group of smaller thunderstorms.
Winds from opposite directions
blow into each other. This forces
air upward. The rising air picks
up heat and moisture from the
ocean. More clouds and rain
form. The air gets warmer and
rises faster. Air near the ocean
then rushes in to replace the
air that rises. This rushing wind
blows faster and faster.
Photo of a hurricane from space
Title: The Ultimate Storm
Simultaneously, something
else happens. The spin of the
earth causes the winds to
blow in a circle. North of the
equator, the circle turns in a
counterclockwise direction.
If the winds reach 39 miles
per hour, the winds and rain
are called a tropical storm.
A tropical storm’s winds may
reach 74 miles per hour. If
the winds go any faster, it
becomes a hurricane.
Grade: 4
Page: 2
Chapter Three
Naming the Beast
People who study the weather are called
meteorologists. One of their jobs is to
name tropical storms. There is a method
to the naming, though. The first storm of
the year gets a person’s name that starts
with the letter A. The second storm’s
name starts with B, and so on.
In the past, storms and hurricanes
had only girls’ names. In 1979, this
changed. Now storms are given both
boys’ and girls’ names. However, if a
name is connected to a major storm,
it is not reused. For example, there
will never be another Hurricane
Andrew or Katrina.
A sign for people to follow to
escape from a hurricane
Title: The Ultimate Storm
Grade: 4
Page: 3
Chapter Four
Changing Land and Water
On weather reports, you may have noticed that hurricanes travel.
A hurricane might move west. It may reach the Gulf of Mexico. It may
travel up the east coast of the United States. It may just stay over the
ocean. Even on the move, the center of a hurricane stays calm and clear.
This area, called the eye, is 20 to 40 miles wide. The area outside of the
eye, however, is violent. It causes most of the damage when it hits land.
Hurricanes affect bodies of water, too. Strong winds push down on
the water. Under the eye, the water rises into a bulge. When the
water bulge hits the shore, it thunders over the land. It sweeps away
everything in its path. This huge ocean wave is called a storm surge.
Waves caused by Hurricane Ike
Title: The Ultimate Storm
Grade: 4
Page: 4
Chapter Five
Protecting Ourselves
Meteorologist at work
The deadliest hurricane ever to hit the United States was in 1900.
It destroyed the city of Galveston, Texas. Many lives were lost.
Another hurricane, Katrina, struck the coast of the Gulf of Mexico
in August 2005. New Orleans and other cities were flooded. About
275,000 homes were lost. Thousands of lives were affected.
We can’t stop a hurricane, but we can protect ourselves.
Meteorologists can warn people if a hurricane is brewing. Then
everyone can prepare for the upcoming storm. People can board
up their windows and take other precautions. This way, everybody
can stay safe and sound in the event of a hurricane.
Title: The Ultimate Storm
Grade: 4
Page: 5
Glossary
counterclockwise: (adjective) spinning in the direction opposite
to the movement of the hands of a clock.
destruction: (noun) damage so bad that something cannot be
repaired or no longer exists.
equator: (noun) imaginary line around the Earth, halfway
between the North and South Poles.
eye: (noun) calm, clear area in the center of a hurricane.
Fahrenheit: (adjective) relating to a scale used to measure the
temperature.
meteorologist: (noun) scientist who studies and predicts the
weather.
moisture: (noun) water content, often as part of the air.
mythical: (adjective) existing only in the imagination; fictitious.
surge: (noun) huge ocean wave that is caused by hurricane
winds and is very destructive.
tropical: (adjective) related to the hot region near the equator.
Cover: Vladislav Gurfinkel/Shutterstock; Robert A. Mansker/Shutterstock; Page 1: Dorling Kindersley RF/Thinkstock; Page 2: Stocktrek Images/
Thinkstock; Page 3: Stacie Stauff Smith Photography/Shutterstock; Page 4: ©Bill Graham; Page 5: Eric Hood/iStockphoto
Title: The Ultimate Storm
Grade: 4
Page: 6