This is the place to find definitions and terms associated with a hurricane!  Intensity categories, hurricane names and tracking information can also be found here. 

Hurricane Terms & Definitions

Tropical disturbance, tropical wave:

A cluster of clouds and thunderstorms in the tropics without a defined circulation.

Tropical Depression:

A rotating system of thunderstorms in the tropics with winds of less than 39 mph.

Tropical Storm:

A rotating system of thunderstorms with top sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph.  Storms are named when they reach this strength.

Hurricane:

An intense, rotating tropical weather system with sustained winds of 74 mph or greater.

Tropical Storm Watch:

Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area within about 36 hours.

Tropical Storm Warning:

Tropical storm conditions are expected in the watch area within about 24 hours.

Hurricane Watch:

Hurricane conditions are possible in the watch area within about 36 hours.  Hurricane preparations should be underway.

Hurricane Warning:

Hurricane conditions are expected in the watch area within about 24 hours.  All preparations should be complete & evacuations underway.

Storm Surge:

A mound of ocean water up to 20 feet high that can come ashore with a hurricane.  Evacuation zones are identified by the likelihood of being flooded by this rising water.  Most hurricane related deaths are from storm surge flooding.  Storm surge flooding can occur over 100 miles of coastline and may extend inland several miles.

Eye:

The relatively calm area in the center of a hurricane which can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 30 minutes.  The eye can range from 5 miles to more than 50 miles across.  During a hurricane, if the winds suddenly die down and everything goes calm, don't immediately go outside.  The storm's eye may be passing.  Winds will return - from another direction - after the eye passes.  The most vicious part of the storm follows the passing of the eye.

Eyewall:

The doughnut-shaped area of highest winds and greatest destruction surrounding the eye.

Intensity Categories

Category 1 - winds 74-95 mph
Category 2 - winds 96-110 mph
Category 3 - winds 111-130 mph
Category 4 - winds 131-155 mph
Category 5 - winds greater than 155 mph

Hurricane Names

The National Weather Service (NWS) began using women's names in 1941, after the novel, Storm was published.  In 1950, the NWS started using the phonetic alphabet (Able, Baker, Charlie, etc.) but in 1953 returned to women's names in alphabetical order.

To avoid sexism, the NWS started alternating men's and women's names in 1979.  The names are selected by the World Meteorological Organization and are used in six-year shifts.

Once a storm reaches Tropical Storm status, it gets a name for the rest of its life.  The names of storms that killed people or caused great damage are retired from the rotation permanently.

Names through 2008:

2005: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Dennis, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irene, Jose, Katrina, Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rita, Stan, Tammy, Vince, Wilma.

2006: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Keith, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie, William 

2007: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dean, Erin, Felix, Gabrielle, Humberto, Ingrid, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Noel, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van, Wendy

2008: Arthur, Bertha, Christobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paloma, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, Wilfred

 

 

Hurricane Tracking:

Hurricane eye positions are given using latitude and longitude.  Lines of latitude run east-west and lines of longitude run north-south.  To track a storm on our map, use a dry erase pen to place a dot at the point where each advisory's latitude and longitude intersect.  As you plot subsequent advisories, connect the dots to see the storm's passage.