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Hurricane Katrina

By Cameron Walsh and Saidy McQuillan

Hurricane Katrina

  • Hurricane Katrina started as a tropical storm in the Bahamas on Aug. 24, 2005
  • On Aug. 25, Katrina became a Category 1 hurricane with wind speeds over 74 miles per hour.
  • Katrina exploded into a Category 5 hurricane on Aug. 28, with winds peaking at 175 mph.
  • Katrina killed over 1,500 people and caused an estimated $80–$100 billion in damages.
  • Coastal cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana, Mobile, Alabama, and Gulf Port, Mississippi were hardest hit.
  • Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest hurricanes to this day

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-Hypothesis-

-Problem Statement-

Hypothesis/ Problem Statement

As our climate gets warmer due to global warming, the frequency and intensity of hurricanes will increase. This is because, global warming creates higher water temperatures, creating a perfect climate for Hurricanes.

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How did Hurricane Katrina impact earths spheres?

Earth System

Science Analysis

Atmosphere

Hurricane Katrina Vs.

Atmosphere

  • Hurricane Katrina is documented to have eliminated or damaged 320 million trees in the Gulf Coast forests which impacts the carbon in our atmosphere greatly.
  • The trees destroyed by the hurricane will have a great effect of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere for years to come.

Hurricane Katrina Vs. Biosphere

  • The contamination of floodwater with dangerous chemicals and oil led to a harmful environment for many families
  • 705 people are still missing years after this event occurred.
  • 80 percent of New Orleans was under over 6 meters deep of water- This ruined many animals habitats and people’s homes.

Biosphere

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Hurricane Katrina Vs. Lithosphere

Lithosphere

  • The core, mantle, etc was not really affected by the hurricane.

However, earths lithosphere impacted Hurricane Katrina greatly-

  • Earth’s convection currents determine ocean currents and Oceanic Plates. The direction and energy these currents produce is what shifted the ocean currents, leading to the Hurricane.

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Hurricane Katrina Vs. Hydrosphere

  • Roughly seven million gallons of oil spilled throughout coastal regions as a result of the hurricane.
  • This contamination has negatively impacted the region’s biodiversity and ecological health for years after the hurricane.
  • The oil has created a deadly mix leading to contaminated floodwater that ran through the streets of many cities.

Hydrosphere

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How could future climate change impact the intensity of hurricanes?

Climate Change

Although scientists are uncertain whether climate change will lead to an increase in the number of hurricanes, warmer ocean temperatures and higher sea levels are expected to intensify their impacts.

Over the past 50-plus years, the earth’s oceans have absorbed more than 90 percent of the extra heat generated by man-made global warming, becoming warmer as a result. Since warm sea surface temperatures fuel hurricanes, this means more energy, and that allows these storms to pack a bigger punch. Overall, scientists expect a 2-11 percent increase in average maximum wind speed, with the number of intense storms rising within the next few years.

Sea level rise is likely to make future hurricanes, more damaging. Globally averaged, sea level is expected to rise by 1-4 feet during the next century, which will amplify coastal storm surge. These sea levels are rising due to glaciers and ice burgs melting, also a result of global warming.

How could future climate change impact the frequency of Hurricanes?

Frequency

The connection between climate change and hurricane frequency is less straightforward. Globally, about 70 to 110 tropical storms form each year, with about 40 to 60 reaching hurricane grade strength. However, records show large year-to-year changes in the number and intensity of these storms, rather than large scale changes.

For the 21st century, some scientists project no change or a small reduction in the frequency of hurricanes, while others show an increase in frequency. More recent work shows a trade-off between intensity and frequency – that as warmer oceans strengthen hurricane intensity, fewer storms actually form. For the continental United States in the Atlantic Basin, models project a 45-87 percent increase in the frequency of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes despite a possible decrease in the total frequency of all storms.

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As you can see the higher the temperature gets due to climate change, the higher the intensity and frequency of the hurricane.

-Our Solution-

Our Solution

If we would like to decrease the amount of hurricanes worldwide and overall increase our planet's wellness, we should stop burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are a direct cause to global warming and therefore impact our planet greatly. In addition to this, we should educate our society on how to react to hurricanes and other natural disasters

Was The Hypothesis Correct?

(Depending on how you look at it)

Our Hypothesis was Correct!

Our Hypothesis was partially correct because, everybody has their own opinion. Some scientists believe that rise in intensity and frequency has a direct link to climate change, while others believe that frequency and intensity of hurricanes grow on their own over time. There is no definite yes or no when discussing the intensity or frequency of hurricanes that has been determined.

Climate

How Does Climate impact Hurricanes

  • Hurricanes are formed by warm water.
  • When the water evaporates it starts to form a hurricanes.
  • The faster the water evaporates and the more it evaporates, the more it effects the hurricane.
  • As the wind passes over the ocean's surface, water evaporates and rises. As it rises, the water vapor cools, and condenses back into large water droplets, forming large cumulonimbus clouds.
  • The clouds then release their heat to the air.
  • The warmed air rises and is pulled into the column of clouds.
  • Evaporation and condensation continue, building the cloud columns higher and larger.
  • A pattern develops, with the wind circulating around a center (like water going down a drain).
  • As the moving column of air encounters more clouds, it becomes a cluster of thunderstorm clouds, called a tropical disturbance.

BE PREPARED!

Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricanes can be deadly to our population. This means that we should know how to react properly, and be prepared for when a hurricane hits. Some things You can do are:

  • Create a Family Plan
  • Know evacuation routes
  • Have The Proper tools stocked up (food, water, flashlights, fist aid kit)
  • Make sure your home meets construction codes

Works Cited

Works Cited

https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/energy-government-and-defense-magazines/hurricanes-katrina-environmental-impacts

https://www.emaze.com/@AZTOOOWC

https://sharkresearch.rsmas.miami.edu/phytoplankton-small-organisms-with-a-massive-impact/

https://www.wired.com/2010/09/tiny-plankton-could-steer-giant-hurricanes/

https://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/global-warming-and-hurricanes/

https://www.c2es.org/content/hurricanes-and-climate-change/

https://scijinks.gov/hurricane/

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/hurricanes-and-climate-change-everything-you-need-know#sec-causes

http://www.hurricaneville.com/safety.html

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