Centuries ago the Spanish named the storms that sunk their ships in the Caribbean Huracan, after the Mayan god of wind, storms, and fire. Whatever we call these tropical storms today – hurricanes, typhoons, or cyclones – we are amazed by their power to change or destroy habitats, damage property, and harm people. The National Science Education Standards say middle school students should understand the risks and challenges associated with hurricanes and other natural hazards.
National Hurricane Center: Tropical Prediction Center
At this web site, the National Weather Service provides up-to-date information on hurricanes.
NASA Hurricane Page
This site provides satellite images of developing hurricanes.
Hurricanes
In a series of activities, students graph real data on the wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and storm surge of seven hurricanes and trace the path of a hurricane in the year they were born. Students also hypothesize what would happen if a hurricane hit their city.
Towering Waves May Be Norm for Hurricanes
This NPR broadcast describes how science instruments on the bottom of the sea off the coast of Mississippi survived and collected the most comprehensive current and wave measurements ever of a category 4 storm.
Forces of Nature
After learning how hurricanes form, students can create their own storm.
NOVA: Stronger Hurricanes?
Is global warming making hurricanes more intense? In this slide show, we hear from scientists and examine their data.
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[…] two to four timely resources on these earth science topics: El Nino, The International Polar Year, The Powerful Punch of a Hurricane, and Using Real Data in Environmental […]