Catastrophic Events

What is this a picture of?

HURRICANE

What is this a picture of?

TORNADO

Catastrophic Event…

• is a sudden, natural or man-made situation where change and destruction of the land may occur without prior knowledge or preparation

Example:

Tornado and Hurricanes

THINK – PAIR - SHARE

Take 1 minute with a partner and list as many natural

disasters/catastrophic event that occur on this planet.

Natural Disasters/Catastrophic Event…

• Tsunami• Earthquake• Flood• Mud Slide• Blizzard/Ice Storm• Hurricane *• Tornado *

• Monsoon• Forest Fire• Landslide• Warm-up: Choose

3 of these natural disasters and define them.

* = focus on

Hurricanes and their effects…

• What is a hurricane?– Severe thunderstorm with high winds (above

120 mph)

Hurricanes cause…–Storm surge and tidal flooding--Storm

surge is the rising wall of water that comes ashore with a land falling hurricane, and is responsible for 90 percent of all hurricane related deaths.

Cause cont…

• High Winds-- it determines how powerful the storm is, and how much storm surge and damage it can cause (can reach up to 200 mph).

Cause cont…–Heavy rain and flooding--After

hurricanes make landfall, and their winds slow down, the amount of rainfall becomes a major factor, and can cause significant flooding.

Beach Erosion…

• moves weathered rocks and soil from one place to another

• it can move slowly or quickly

A car is submerged in sand after Hurricane Ike came through the area, September 17, 2008 in Gilchrist, Texas.

After 5 years, what do you think will happen to the beach and the house?

The land wears away due to beach

erosion

Using the terms, hurricane and beach erosion, describe what you think will happen to this area after a hurricane.

Galveston – After Hurricane Ike

Tornados

• What is a tornado?– column of swirling wind; an extremely

destructive funnel-shaped rotating column of air

Tornadoes cause…

• Destruction to buildings, bridges and anything in the tornadoes path

• death • flooding • hail damage • wind damage (can

reach 140 mph)

1. Look at the picture of Galveston above, what do you think will happen to this land if another hurricane hits the Galveston coast?

EXIT TICKET (2 parts)

This tornado is heading towards your town, what kind of disaster could this cause? How could you warn people this was coming?

Become a Hurricane Tracker

• http://hurricane.terrapin.com/