Learn all about hurricanes and how to stay safe during a storm with this series of videos from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Use a selection or all eight videos with your students to help them understand how hurricanes form, how climate change is supercharging these storms, and what steps they should take if a hurricane warning or watch is put in place.
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cyclone
Noun
weather system that rotates around a center of low pressure and includes thunderstorms and rain. Usually, hurricanes refer to cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean.
hurricane
Noun
tropical storm with wind speeds of at least 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour. Hurricanes are the same thing as typhoons, but usually located in the Atlantic Ocean region.
hurricane season
Noun
time of year when the risk of hurricanes is greatest. Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
hurricane warning
Noun
alert issued to residents of coastal areas threatened by a hurricane in 24 hours or less.
hurricane watch
Noun
alert issued to residents of coastal areas threatened by a hurricane in 24-36 hours.
National Hurricane Center
Noun
branch of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical storms.
Saffir Simpson scale
Noun
system that classifies hurricane strength, from Category 1 (weakest) to Category 5 (strongest).
storm
Noun
severe weather indicating a disturbed state of the atmosphere resulting from uplifted air.
Noun
abnormal rise in sea level accompanying a hurricane or other intense storm. Also called a storm tide.
tropical storm
Noun
weather pattern of swirling winds over a center of low pressure above warm ocean waters. Tropical storms are less powerful than cyclones and hurricanes.