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.
storm surge
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.

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    Production Manager

    Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Society

    Producer

    Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society

    Last Updated

    April 25, 2019

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