Photograph of the "off-set" PPI radar scope at Orlando, Florida. This was the third time that a hurricane had passed sufficiently close to a radar site to have its structure revealed. In: "Weatherwise," Volume 1, No. 4, August 1948, p. 79.  Courtesy of NOAA

Hurricane Safety
A tropical cyclone is a warm-core, low pressure system that develops over the tropical or subtropical waters, and has an organized circulation. In the Atlantic ocean, they are called hurricanes. A hurricane combines storm surge, powerful winds, tornadoes and torrential rains into a devastating combination. Each year, an average of ten tropical storms develop over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Three of those tropical storms will strengthen to become a hurricane.

Look carefully at the safety actions associated with each type of hurricane hazard and prepare your family disaster plan accordingly. Identify your threat before a hurricane arrives. Know your evacuation level, identify your evacuation route and get a plan!

To learn more about hurricanes, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) website.