‫به نام خدا‬

English for the Students of Disaster Management & Related Subjects

By: Dr. Gholamreza Poorheidari

‫كاربردي هالل ايران‬-‫ موسسه آموزش عالي علمي‬:‫انتشارات‬ 87 ‫تابستان‬

Chapter 27 Hurricane & Tornado

Chapter 27: Hurricane & Tornado Part I Section A: Hurricane

One of the most dramatic, damaging, and potentially deadly events is a hurricaneHurricanes are products of the tropical ocean and atmosphere. Powered by heat from the sea, they are steered erratically by the easterly trade winds and the temperate westerly winds, as well as by their own energy. As they move ashore, they bring with them a storm surge of ocean water along the coastline, high winds, tornadoes, torrential rains, and flooding. A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, the generic term for a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics. A typical cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms, and in the northern hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth's surface. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Winds can exceed 155 miles per hour. Hurricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes and microbursts, create-storm surges along the coast, and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall. Hurricanes are classified into five categories based on their wind speed, central pressure, and damage potential. Category Three and higher hurricanes are considered major hurricanes, though categories One and Two are still extremely dangerous and warrant your full attention. Hurricanes can produce widespread torrential rains. Floods are the deadly and destructive result. Slow moving storms and tropical storms moving into mountainous regions tend to produce especially heavy rain. Excessive rain can trigger landslides or mud slides, especially in mountainous regions. Flash flooding can occur due to intense rainfall. Between 1970 and 1999, more people lost their lives from freshwater inland flooding associated with land falling tropical cyclones than from any other weather hazard related to tropical cyclones. A hurricane is a severe tropical storm that forms in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E. Hurricanes need warm tropical oceans, moisture and light winds above them. If the right conditions last long enough, a hurricane can produce violent winds, incredible, waves, torrential rains and floods. In other regions of the world, these types of storms have different names.



Typhoon — (the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline)

 Severe Tropical Cyclone (the South west Pacific Ocean west of 160E or southeast Indian ocean east of 90E) 

Severe cyclonic Storm (the north Indian ocean)



Tropical Cyclone — (the Southwest Indian Ocean)

Hurricanes rotate in a counterclockwise direction around an "eye." A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when winds reach74 mph. There L are on average six Atlantic hurricanes each year; over a " three-year period, approximately five hurricanes strike the United States coastline from Texas to Maine, The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. The East Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30 with peak activity occurring during July through September, When hurricanes move onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and heavy waves can damage buildings, trees and cars. The heavy waves are called a storm surge. Storm surge is very dangerous and a major reason why you MUST stay away from the ocean during a hurricane Answer the following questions orally: 1.

What is a hurricane?

2.

When does hurricane damage buildings?

3.

What is the hurricane product?

4.

How many classifications do have a hurricane?

5.

What is the storm surge?

6.

What is the tropical storm?

7.

How can a hurricane damage the buildings?

Section B: Tropical storms Convention dictates that tropical storms in the Indian Ocean are called cyclones, those in the north Atlantic, Caribbean, and south Pacific are called hurricanes, and those in the north and west Pacific are called typhoons. They occur as humid air twists upwards from warm sea water into cooler air above; Over the sea, air may- move at speeds of

more than 300 kph twisting anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern. Flying debris causes injury, and secondary flooding may occur.

Actions to do before a Hurricane To prepare for a hurricane, you should take the following measures: • Make plans to secure your property. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8" marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install, Tape does not prevent windows from breaking. • Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage. • Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed. • Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts. • Determine how and where to secure your boat. • Consider building a safe room.

Part II: Exercises Exercise-1: Read the following statements and decide whether they are True or False: 1. For reducing damages, it is better to install clips to fasten the roof. 2. The storms occur as humid air twists upwards from warm sea water into cooler air above. 3. To prepare for a hurricane, you should make a safe room. 4. Temporary storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. 5. The tropical storms are called hurricanes in Indian Ocean. Exercise-2: choose a/b/c or d which best completes each statements: 1.

To prepare for a hurricane, you should a. trim all trees and shrubs around home b. board up windows with suitable marine plywood. c. Clear loose downspouts. d. All of them

2.

The tropical storms occur when…..

a) b) c) d)

the humid air move at speeds of more than 300 kph. the humid air twists upwards from warm sea water. the humid air twists downwards from warm sea water. None of them.

3.

The hurricanes can damage buildings, when. a) the winds blow b) it rains c) the heavy waves blow d) d. a & b

4.

A hurricane is a) the product of the tropical storm and atmosphere. b) the generic term for a low pressure system. c) heat from the sea d) counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth,

Exercise-3: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the words given: /vulnerable/ greatly /prevention/ safely /lessen/ Mitigation against hurricane losses can ............... the impacts these powerful storms have on people's lives and property through damage and proper insurance. Through measures such as building ........... within hurricane ......... areas and creating and enforcing effective building codes, the impact on lives and communities is., .......................................... reduced.

Exercise-4: Match the definitions in column I with the words in column II: Column I Column II 1. It is the product of the tropical ocean and atmosphere 2. The name of tropical storm in the north and west cyclone Pacific. 3. Tropical storms in the Indian Ocean are called as 4. It is accompanied by thunderstorms. 5. It occurs due to intense rainfall

a. Typhoon b. Tropical c. Hurricane d, Flash flooding e. Cyclone

Part III: 3-Homework A. Reading Comprehension: Tornado Tornadoes are nature's most violent storms. Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate a neighborhood in seconds. A tornado appears as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Some tornadoes are clearly visible, while rain or nearby low-hanging clouds obscure others. Occasionally, tornadoes develop so rapidly that little, if any, advance warning is possible. Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still. A cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel is not visible. Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. [t is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado. The following are facts about tornados: • They may strike quickly, with little or no warning. • They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel. • The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction. • The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 MPH, but may vary from stationary to 70 MPH. • Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land, • Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water. • Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months. • Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer. • Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time. • • If you are under a tornado WARNING, seek shelter immediately!

B. Translate the above passage into Persian: C Write the answers to the following questions: 1.

What is a tornado?

2. 3. 4. 5.

How does a tornado appear? What do we should do before a tornado? When do tornadoes generally occur? What are the facts about tornadoes?

D. Circle the word which does not belong to each group: 1. a) tornado

b) hurricane

c) flood

d) cyclone

2. a) thunderstorm b) funnel

c) rotate

d) whirl

3. a) ashore

c) inland

d) land

b) coastline

4. a) widespread rains b) torrential rain c) earthquake d) mud slides 5. a)high winds

b)dust storm

c)flooding

d)tornadoes

E. Fill in the blanks with appropriate form of the words given: community /shelter /risk /rotating /thunderstorm /violent/ Tornados are nature's most -------storms. Tornadoes must always be taken seriously. They come from powerful--------and appear as-------- and funnelshaped clouds. Tornado winds can reach 300 miles per hour. Every place is at some risk, but the places in "Tornado Alley" have the highest---------It can form any time of the year The ability to predict tornadoes is limited. Usually a-----will have at least a few minutes warning. The most important thing to do is take-------when a tornado is nearby.