2019 HURRICANE DORIAN Blog

2019 Hurricane Dorian:

The Deadliest Cyclone Disaster in Bahamas History

By Eric Romero

Fall - Meteorology - Tuorto

First, what is a cyclone? A cyclone is a system of low pressure containing winds that spin inwards. Cyclones in the Atlantic tend to follow a pattern. Most of the hurricanes come from the same place in the world. There's a point off the coast of West Africa near Cape Verde where dry, hot air from the Sahara desert meets with the cool, moist air from the south. This is what happened on August 24, 2019, Saharan dust forming what is known as the worst hurricane in the history of the Bahamas.   

The Stages of Dorian

Hurricane Dorian was first known as Tropical Depression 5. Hurricane moved into in the Central Atlantic and moved towards the Lesser Antilles, gaining strength in its path there.  On August 28, Dorian was categorized as a hurricane while on August 31, gaining a Category 4 intensity. On September 1, Dorian reached Category 5 intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, and a minimum central pressure of 910 MB while reaching into Elbow Cay, Bahamas.  

Hurricane Dorian's Path

Hurricane Dorian

On August 24, 2019, the worst natural disaster in the history of the Bahamas started to form. 61 deaths were recorded on this date. The hurricane made a disaster worth $7 billion in damage. Hurricane Dorian struck the Abaco Islands on September 1 with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. Dorian went on to strike Grand Bahama at a similar intensity, staying just north of the territory with constant winds. The damage to these islands was catastrophic. Most structures were flattened or swept to sea, and at least 70,000 people were left homeless. After its damages through the Bahamas, Dorian proceeded along the coasts of the Southeastern United States and Atlantic Canada, leaving behind considerable damage and economic losses in those regions.

 

View Of Hurricane Dorian 

Before and After

The Impacts

Hurricane Dorian knocked out the power, water, telecommunications, and sewage service on the Abacos and the Grand Bahama Island, which made the search for clean water more intense due to seawater floods.  The floods caused 45% of homes on both islands to be completely destroyed. After Dorian, several tornadoes happened in South Carolina and North Carolina which caused floods and destruction.  When Dorian reached Canada, it damaged 80% of Atlantic Canada, with floods and destruction of buildings,  making damage worth $78.9 million. As the Hurricane had damaged or destroyed a majority of the Humane Society of Grand Bahama and killed many of the animals in its care, a GoFundMe was created in order to help renovate and aid the organization's locations. Surviving animals were airlifted to the United States in order to disperse them to other shelters while the organization was stabilized.

Resources: 

https://www.wptv.com/weather/hurricane/before-and-after-hurricane-dorian-photo-slider-shows-devastation

https://nypost.com/2019/09/01/hurricane-dorian-strengthens-into-catastrophic-category-5-storm/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-jEj8Bh5Kc

https://www.weather.gov/mhx/Dorian2019

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Dorian

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/death-destruction-stalks-bahamas-wake-hurricane-dorian-190906022923964.html

https://www.businessinsider.com/what-causes-hurricanes-irma-harvey-jose-sahara-africa-easterly-atlantic-2017-9

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Dorian_in_The_Bahamas

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/48678010111

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/09/03/heres-what-it-looked-like-inside-eye-hurricane-dorian/

El Ninos

El ninos are a type of irregular weather phenomenon that effect the equatorial pacific region and on every few years. The El Nino is the early stage of what is referred to as the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). An El nino will occur when the surface temp. of sea water in the Pacific rises. El ninos cause long-lasting climate problems all over the world. In summary in an El nino the warm surface water will deepen the thermocline which halts the process of upwelling in the ecosystem. The eventual long lasting layer of warm water super-charges tropical storms and other systems.

The Dust Bowl

Joseph Amado

November 18,2019

Meteorology

"The Dust Bowl"

The dust bowl happened on April 14, 1935, by  and was found by President Franklin D. Roosevelt It was noted that The dust bowl originated in an area between Dakota,Nebraska,Kansas,Oklahoma,Texas,Colorado and new Mexico This area where the dust bowl was founded was called a “desert” to people who passed by the area, which led to people to settle there due to the fact there was so much farm space and so much vast land they stayed there. Which led many to their deaths because they all waited for the rain to come for their crops to grow and then the dust bowl came. This drought made the precipitation in that area decrease by 25%The dust bowl also wasn't just a drought it was also a nationwide catastrophe that led to many minor “mini storms”(as i call them) Known as black blizzards. Even though there was a “depresion” It wasn't as depressing as encountering this. This storm “ was created due to the  millions of tons of dirt were swept from the parched, barren fields and swirled up into the air. These black blizzards would sweep past people houses and would make the area around it render ably not visible, but those who weren't lucky enough to stay indoors would die of “dust pneumonia”.These so called black blizzards would come and go and this phenomena would last 10 years. The dust bowl did not impact The Northern Plains, as they  weren't so badly damaged/affected but the drought, dust, and agricultural decline were felt there as well. The agricultural devastation helped to lengthen the Great Depression, whose effects were felt worldwide.  In the end the dust bowl had left a massive change in american and the entire worlds history.

Meteorology - The Great Blizzard of 1888 Mrs. Tuorto Fall 2019 Presentation

The Great Blizzard of 1888:

The Greatest Blizzard in Modern History
By Sergio Villar

2019 - Fall - Meteorology - Tuorto

Throughout recent history, with rising temperatures, our incredibly hot Summers have occupied our minds. Glacial meltings and increasing global temperatures, all these things attributed to heat. But what of the great snowstorms and the low temperatures that have previously plagued the globe? What of the days in history when the concrete jungles became snow boxes? What of the 'Great Blizzard of 1888?"

What creates a blizzard?

1. Cold air (below freezing) is needed to make snow.

2. Moisture is needed to form clouds and precipitation.

3. Warm, rising air is needed to form clouds and cause precipitation.

“For a blizzard to form, warm air must rise over cold air.” 

Warm air + cold air > brought together = front formation and precipitation. Warm air can rise to form clouds and blizzard snows as it flows up a mountainside.

Quick shots of snow, sleet, and freezing snow can develop into a blizzard.

What Classifies a Blizzard:

The Great Blizzard

It was on March 11th when cold Arctic air collided with Gulf air from the South and temperatures drastically plunged, resulting in the rain turning to snow and winds reaching hurricane-level speeds. The gusts reached 85 miles per hour in NYC. A total recording of 55 inches of snow was dumped across New York. $20 million dollars in damages were caused.

All residents who woke up only saw the heavy blanket of snow on the roads and streets and atop their cars and homes. There were an estimated 15,000 residents trapped in trains, and residents who attempted to get to work despite the snow were met with stranded and stuck trains. 

After the snowstorm, a resulting 55 inches of snow buried the city. The freezing temperatures froze the river (The East River) between Manhattan and Queens. Residents attempted to cross it, but the tides regrettably changed and the ice began to break.

There were a total of 400 deaths resulting from the freezing temperatures, ice breaking and stranding river crossers, and heat running out. 

Along the Atlantic coast, hundreds of boats were sunk by rough waves and the high winds. About 100 seamen died.

Animals froze to death at farms as well.

Keene, New Hampshire, received 36 inches; 

New Haven, Connecticut, got 45 inches; 

Troy, New York, was hit by 55 inches of snow over 3 days

This graph by the National Weather Service shows the 'greatest snowstorms' in Albany, New York from 1884-1885. Of course, March 11-14 (the days of the blizzard) is the greatest to have occurred.

The Aftermath

After the blizzard, it was realized that leaving water systems above ground (and gas lines) could be unbeneficial and result in future incidents. And so, the blizzard resulted in the reformation of transit systems which are actually still used today.
So, due in part to the blizzard, as damaging and deadly as it was, reformations came as a result and the betterment of transit resulted in improved living environments for residents of New York.

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina was a powerful Category 5 that hit Florida and the Gulf Coast in late August of 2005. The highest winds were 175 mph and the hurricane caused 1,836 casualties. The storm formed over the southern Bahamas on August 23, 2005, as Tropocal Depression 12. It quickly became a Category 1 hurricane and hit Florida, though not causing much damage. It then moved to the Gulf of Mexico, where it gained speed and intensity from a loop current. It was redirected and now headed toward Louisiana. It made landfall in Louisiana on August 29. Cities alll along the Gulf, especially New Orleans, were impacted the worst. The storm surge was about 25 feet high and caused 50 foot waves. Though the storm cause a lot of damage, the aftermath was even more devastating. The storm broke the levees along most of the gulf states, leading to massive flooding. To add to the mass flooding, the government was extremely slow to meet the needs of the people affected by the storm. The storm caused 108 billion dollars in damage, making it the costliest storm to ever hit the U.S.

The Peshtigo Fire

The Peshtigo Fire

The Peshtigo fire was one of the US worst forest fire that took place in northeastern Wisconsin during October 8, 1871 and lasted until October 10, 1871, the fire also took place in the same day as the Great Chicago fire, and, even though the Peshtigo Fire was more severe it was overshadow by the Chicago fire. Nobody knows how the fire started but the high temperature, prolonged drought, and introduction to industrial practice and extensive farming were major factors that could have caused a spark. The fire came from nowhere and was fast that some survivors said it was like a fire cyclone. It destroyed the town of Peshtigo in a hour and people with out any warning tried to flee towards the river. The fire destroyed about !.2 million acres, claiming 1,200-2,400 lives, and Estimated damage cost was 169 million dollars. The fire destroyed 16 other towns and skipped over Green Bay to destroy part of Door and Kewaunee.