Know The Terms For A Hurricane

A hurricane is a tropical storm with winds of 74 miles per hour or higher. A hurricane usually starts out as a tropical depression with sustained winds of about 38 miles per hour and then when the tropical depression reaches sustained winds between 33-78 miles per hour the storm upgrades to a tropical storm. The storm after it has a well defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher the tropical storm is upgraded to a hurricane. 

If you live anywhere near a cost line of the United States and a hurricane is about to hit your area you need to be prepared for a storm surge. A storm surge is strong incoming water being pushed onshore by a hurricane or tropical storm winds. Storm surges can reach up to 25 feet high and be 100-1000 miles wide.

A storm tide is a combination of the storm surge and the normal tide at the time of a hurricane. If the tide is high when the storm comes on land the water surge that comes inland will be higher. If the tide is low the water surge that comes inland will be lower.

A Hurricane or tropical storm watch-Is issued if storm conditions are possible in a specific area usually within 36 hours.

A Hurricane tropical storm warning- Is when hurricane or tropical storm conditions are expected in a specified area usually with 24 hours.

Tips- You need to be prepared with can goods, bottled water, first aid kit, flashlights, extra batteries, a few ice chest with ice in the frezzer until the power goes out, extra gas cans filled with gas.