Hurricane Milton is gaining strength: millions are called to evacuate before the disaster
9 october 2024 в 19:13
As the intense Hurricane Milton, now a category 4, moves along the Gulf Coast, millions have been ordered to evacuate. Less than two weeks after Helena affected the southern states, Milton, which has fluctuated between categories 4 and 5, is expected to make landfall as a «dangerous major hurricane», - according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Let’s look at past storms that have devastated parts of the United States, including the largest and deadliest.
Hurricane Katrina, which struck in 2005 as a category 3 hurricane, is often referred to as the hurricane that caused the most damage in U.S. history. The storm affected several states, especially Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, leading to catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. The total damage estimate was around $ 125 billion in 2024, making it one of the most expensive natural disasters in the country.
Hurricanes often start as tropical waves interacting with warm ocean waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These storms can also be fueled by thunderstorms. As warm ocean air rises, it creates an area of low pressure underneath, leading to the rise and cooling of air, forming clouds and thunderstorms.
Hurricanes typically develop during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30 each year in the Atlantic basin.
The Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale rates hurricanes from one to five. Category 1 hurricanes have wind speeds of 74 to 95 miles per hour and can produce very dangerous winds capable of damaging even sturdy homes. As categories increase, so does the storm’s strength and potential impact.
This scale was developed in 1971 by engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Simpson, who was then the director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center
Let’s look at past storms that have devastated parts of the United States, including the largest and deadliest.
Hurricane Katrina, which struck in 2005 as a category 3 hurricane, is often referred to as the hurricane that caused the most damage in U.S. history. The storm affected several states, especially Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, leading to catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. The total damage estimate was around $ 125 billion in 2024, making it one of the most expensive natural disasters in the country.
Hurricanes often start as tropical waves interacting with warm ocean waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These storms can also be fueled by thunderstorms. As warm ocean air rises, it creates an area of low pressure underneath, leading to the rise and cooling of air, forming clouds and thunderstorms.
Hurricanes typically develop during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30 each year in the Atlantic basin.
The Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale rates hurricanes from one to five. Category 1 hurricanes have wind speeds of 74 to 95 miles per hour and can produce very dangerous winds capable of damaging even sturdy homes. As categories increase, so does the storm’s strength and potential impact.
This scale was developed in 1971 by engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Simpson, who was then the director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center
© Smirnova Olga
