Hurricane: How To Survive!

A hurricane is a severe tropical storm that forms in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E. Hurricanes need warm tropical oceans, moisture and light winds above them. If the right conditions last long enough, a hurricane can produce violent winds, incredible waves, torrential rains and floods. In other regions of the world, these types of storms have different names.

* Typhoon - (the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline)
* Severe Tropical Cyclone - (the Southwest Pacific Ocean west of 160E or Southeast Indian Ocean east of 90E)
* Severe Cyclonic Storm - (the North Indian Ocean)
* Tropical Cyclone - (the Southwest Indian Ocean)

Hurricanes rotate in a counterclockwise direction around an "eye." A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when winds reach 74 mph. There are on average six Atlantic hurricanes each year; over a three-year period, approximately five hurricanes strike the United States coastline from Texas to Maine. The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. The East Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30, with peak activity occurring during July through September.

When hurricanes move onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and heavy waves can damage buildings, trees and cars. The heavy waves are called a storm surge. Storm surge is very dangerous and a major reason why you MUST stay away from the ocean during a hurricane.

Know What Hurricane WATCH and WARNING Mean

* WATCH: Hurricane conditions are possible in the specified area of the WATCH, usually within 36 hours.
* WARNING: Hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the WARNING, usually within 24 hours.

Know What to Do When a Hurricane WATCH Is Issued

* Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for up-to-date storm information.
* Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind.
* Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood as described above. Note: Tape does not prevent windows from breaking, so taping windows is not recommended.
* Fill your car's gas tank.
* Recheck manufactured home tie-downs.
* Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid supplies, drinking water, and medications.

Know What to Do When a Hurricane WARNING Is Issued

* Listen to the advice of local officials, and leave if they tell you to do so.
* Complete preparation activities.
* If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows.
* Be aware that the calm "eye" is deceptive; the storm is not over. The worst part of the storm will happen once the eye passes over and the winds blow from the opposite direction. Trees, shrubs, buildings, and other objects damaged by the first winds can be broken or destroyed by the second winds.
* Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows.
* Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car and climb to higher ground.

Know What to Do After a Hurricane Is Over

* Keep listening to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for instructions.
* If you evacuated, return home when local officials tell you it is safe to do so.
* Inspect your home for damage.
* Use flashlights in the dark; do not use candles.
* Power Outage Safety
* Food Safety
* Chainsaw Safety
* Portable Generator Safety
* Water treatment

Experience shows that the use of short, distinctive given names in written as well as spoken communications is quicker and less subject to error than the older more cumbersome latitude-longitude identification methods. These advantages are especially important in exchanging detailed storm information between hundreds of widely scattered stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea.

Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center. They are now maintained and updated by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization. The original name lists featured only women's names. In 1979, men's names were introduced and they alternate with the women's names. Six lists are used in rotation. Thus, the 2008 list will be used again in 2014. Here is more information about the history of naming hurricanes.

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