Hurricanes: Lives, Stages, and Damage

Hurricane Harvey and Irma passed not too long ago and it looks like there’s another one on its way here. People have been mentally scarred, killed, and property has been ruined by these hurricanes. There are many things you need to know about hurricanes including how it affects people and their families, the stages of a hurricane, and how to prepare for one.

Nicole Anaston lives in Houston, TX and was stuck in Hurricane Harvey. She was terrified because the hurricanes were so close to her house where her mother, father, and little brother lived. Her family couldn’t evacuate in time and the streets were too flooded to go anywhere. So, they stayed in their basement. When the hurricane passed, the family was fine but Texas is in pieces. Their house was in shambles all across the land. “My family was scared when we couldn’t leave. So, we fled to the basement and hoped that nothing bad would happen,” Anaston said, while her voice was shaking. She was so scared and all she could think about was how her family is going to be hurt and how she was going to be hurt, too. The hurricane didn’t affect her family, but it affected so much property.

There are multiple stages in a hurricane and they’re pretty serious. There are many ways to tell if a hurricane is coming and what the stages are. Stage one is if there is a “tropical disturbance”. When there is a tropical disturbance, thunderstorms and winds increase to more than 20 knots or 23 miles per hour. Stage two is a “tropical depression”. A tropical depression forms when a group of thunderstorms come together under the right atmospheric conditions for a certain length of time. Winds near the center of the tropical depression are constantly between 20 and 34 knots (23 - 39 mph). Stage three is called a “tropical storm”. A tropical storm forms when the maximum sustained winds have intensified to between 35-64 knots (39-73 mph). It becomes better organized and begins to look like a hurricane with a circular shape. At this point, the storm is given a name. Most of the problems from tropical storms come from heavy rainfall. The last stage is a hurricane. Hurricanes finally form when surface pressures continue to drop and when sustained wind speeds reach 64 knots (74 mph).

A lot of people were not prepared for these hurricanes and 154 people died in total. Here are some things to help you stay prepared and safe. Step one, have an evacuation plan. The main reason people have to evacuate during hurricanes is from a storm surge, which is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm’s winds that can reach heights well over 20 feet and can span hundreds of miles of coastlines, according to the National Hurricane Center. Step two is to buy supplies. The most important thing that both Knabb and Kottlowski stressed was buying supplies well in advance and keeping those supplies on hand should evacuation be required. Step three is to check insurance coverage. Property owners and renters should be sure to ensure their homes against flooding, something that Knabb said many people do not realize is not a part of standard home and renters insurance. Step four is to keep copies of important documents and/or make copies of important documents. Step five is to protect your home. Residents and tenants should inspect their homes to confirm that there is no damage that a hurricane could increase. The last step is to back up your electronics. Aside from keeping extra batteries and chargers around during a hurricane, people are also encouraged to back up any electronic devices.