GIANNETTA WEATHER |
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**Hurricanes** |
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"N O T E"
All weather articles written by the author,
weather records for Bath, Pa. USA, graphs,
graphics, pictures, are copyrighted and are owned by the author.
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**Part III of IV** |
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Hurricanes don't came as a surprise. Satellites about 22,000 miles
above the earth take pictures of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbian, Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans. The pictures are sent to earth, to NOAA,
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is located in Coral Gables, Florida.
The Pacific Hurricane Center is in Honolulu, Hawaii. Other local and
regional weather offices transmit information from these centers to the
public.
The goal is to provide at least 12 hours of warning time so people came make
preparation for a hurricane, and to protect against the loss of life and
property.
Forecasters at these centers pour through pictures taken from weather
satellites called, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites,
(GOES), looking for a spiral in the clouds. The small dark hole at the
center is the eye of the hurricane.
They continue looking at more pictures of the storm to keep track of it.
Has it grown larger, or smaller; how has it moved? If the storm should
grow and move close to land the forecasters call in the Hurricane Hunters.
These are pilots who fly special aircraft in the hurricane.
Radar on the aircraft show the structure, location and rain pattern of the
storm. Instruments aboard measure temperature, humidity, windspeed, wind
direction and air pressure. Often the aircraft fly through the spiral clouds.
High winds. bounce the plane like a straw.
© 1998 Charles A. Giannetta