Be Prepared
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are tropical weather conditions that are powered by heat from the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico and are steered by trade winds to the north, northwest, or northeast of its origin. Depending upon location, these possibly severe tropical weather conditions have different names around the world. In the Atlantic/Eastern Pacific Oceans, they are called "hurricanes"; in the Western Pacific, they are known as "typhoons", and in the Indian Ocean, they are known as "cyclones".
Floods
Floods are a common occurrence and perhaps one of the most destructive hazards in the United States. Flooding can develop slowly, after constant rain for hours or days, or can develop quickly, as in the case associated with Hurricane Katrina where the levees in the Greater New Orleans area were either breeched or overtopped by the waters. In any case, flooding is a serious problem which can cause billions of dollars of damage to a community. The dangers imparted by flooding include the debris carried by the flood waters such as rocks, mud, sewerage, chemicals, etc. In addition, many people underestimate the amount of water on the streets and believe that they can either walk or drive through the flood waters. Over 200 people per year die due to floods. It takes only 18 inches of water to flood a small car, and approximately 2 feet to flood an SUV. Water may also be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines during a flood.
Tornadoes
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air originating from a strong thunderstorm cloud. The most extreme tornadoes can have wind speeds greater than 250 mph and can be more than one mile wide and 50 miles long. Tornadoes, compared to hurricanes, are much smaller and form quicker. They are more difficult to predict than hurricanes. Meteorologists still do not fully understand why tornadoes form. The formation of tornadoes is extremely complex. Usually in the spring to early summer, warm moist area from the Gulf of Mexico pushes into cool dry air from the north. This mixture of air fuels thunderstorms with a swirling column of air which narrows and reaches down to the ground, becoming a tornado. Tornadoes become visible due to the moisture of air inside them.
Earthquakes
Although it appears that we are now in a period in which there is an increase in earthquake activity throughout the world, the U.S. Geological Survey states that in fact, this is a normal occurrence. Refer to their information found here. The Haitii, Chile, and Japan earthquakes have led us to believe that there are more earthquakes now than ever before, but this appears not to be confirmed, by reliable resources.
Winter Storms
Hazards associated with the winter months arise from heavy snow and rain, freezing temperatures, and high winds. Besides being an inconvenience to all of us, with missed school and workdays, closed airports and roads, power outages and downed telephone lines, there are important dangers with winter storms of which we must aware. In North America, the cold, dry Canadian area moves south and interacts with warmer, moist area as this air moves northerly from the Gulf of Mexico. When condensation of the colder air occurs, this is how snow develops. For winter storms to occur, there must be cold air, moisture, and lift. Below freezing temperature causes the formation of snow and/or ice. The moisture is provided from bodies of water, and something to raise the moist area to form precipitation is the third ingredient needed (lift) to allow for the formation of winter storms.
