Name: ________________________________________
Date: _______________
Period: _____
Tracking Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 every year as thunderstorms form over the hot moist
air of the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes these storms come across the ocean, intensifying before they run into the
islands of the Caribbean and coastal areas of the southeastern United States.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina became the eleventh and the third most destructive hurricane to make landfall
in the United States. Katrina formed in the western Atlantic Ocean as a tropical depression.
Warm water provided energy for the storm system, causing it to strengthen. When Hurricane Katrina
moved into the Gulf of Mexico it quickly becoming a category 5 hurricane. After all was said and done, the total
amount of damage from the storm was estimated to be $81.2 billion dollars.
1. Use the Saffir-Simpson Scale Chart below to complete the “Type/Category” column of the Hurricane Karina
Data Chart. Remember that the Saffir-Simpson scale is based entirely on wind speeds.
2. Using your completed Hurricane Katrina Data Chart, plot the progress of the storm from August 24 to
August 30 on the Atlantic Hurricane Tracking Chart. Use the key below to plot your data points and
remember to connect the points with a line. This line shows the storm track that Hurricane Katrina took over
the course of 1 week in August of 2005.
Key
Tropical Depression
D
Tropical Storm
S
Category 1
1
Category 2
2
Category 3
3
Category 4
4
Category 5
5
Pre-AP Weather & Climate
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE
Category
Pressure (millibars)
Wind (mph)
Storm Surge (feet)
Tropical Depression
-
< 39
-
Tropical Storm
-
39 – 73
-
Category 1
> 979
74 – 95
4–5
Category 2
965 - 979
96 – 110
6–8
Category 3
945 - 964
111 – 130
9 – 12
Category 4
944 - 920
131 – 155
13 – 18
Category 5
< 920
> 155
> 18
HURRICANE KATRINA DATA CHART
Date / Time
(2005)
Latitude
o
( N)
Longitude
o
( W)
Wind Speed
(mph)
Pressure
(millibars)
8/24 – 0000
23.4
75.7
30
1007
8/24 – 1200
24.5
76.5
35
1006
8/25 – 0000
26.0
77.7
45
1000
8/25 - 1200
26.2
79.0
55
994
8/26 – 0000
25.9
80.3
70
983
8/26 – 1200
25.1
82.0
75
979
8/27 – 0000
24.6
83.3
90
959
8/27 – 1200
24.4
84.7
100
942
8/28 – 0000
24.8
85.9
100
941
8/28 – 1200
25.7
87.7
145
909
8/28 – 1800
26.3
88.6
150
902
8/29 – 0000
27.2
89.2
140
905
8/29 – 1200
29.5
89.6
125
913
8/30 – 0000
32.6
89.1
50
961
8/30 – 1200
35.6
88.0
30
985
8/31 - 0000
38.6
85.3
30
994
Type and / or
Category
Storm
Pre-AP Weather & Climate
Pre-AP Weather & Climate
1. Between August 26 and August 28, where was Hurricane Katrina located?
2. What is the relationship between pressure and wind velocity?
3. According to the Saffir-Simpson scale, what was the expected storm surge on August 28 at 1800?
4. Name three things that you and your family can do to prepare for a hurricane?
5. _____
Which characteristic must a tropical storm have to be classified as a hurricane on the SaffirSimpson scale?
a.
b.
c.
d.
6. _____
The difference between the wind speed of a Category-1 hurricane and the wind speed of a
Category-5 hurricane is primarily caused by the differences in
a.
b.
c.
d.
7. _____
enough strength to cause catastrophic damage
a storm surge of at least 2.0 m
central air pressure over 980 mb
a wind speed of at least 119 km/hr
types of clouds
amounts of precipitation
air-pressure gradients
air-temperature gradients
A hurricane with a central air pressure recorded at 28.70 inches has an expected storm surge of
a.
b.
c.
d.
1.3 m
2.0 m
3.3 m
4.0 m
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE
Hurricane
Category
1
2
3
4
5
Central Air
Pressure (mb)
over 979
965 - 979
945 - 964
920 - 944
below 920
Wind speed
(km/hr)
119 – 153
154 – 177
178 – 209
210 – 250
over 250
Expected Storm
Surge Height (m)
1.2 – 1.5
1.6 – 2.4
2.5 – 3.6
3.7 – 5.4
over 5.4
Expected Damage
Minimal
Moderate
Extensive
Extreme
Catastrophic
Pre-AP Weather & Climate