Hurricane Katrina: Hurricane Katrina slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, destroying beachfront towns in Mississippiand Louisiana, displacing a million people, and killing almost 1,800. When levees in New Orleanswere breached, 80% of the city was submerged by the flooding. About 20% of its 500,000 citizens were trapped in the city without power, food, or drinking water. Rescue efforts were so delayed and haphazard that many were stranded for days on rooftops and in attics before help arrived. The city became a toxic pool of sewage, chemicals, and corpses, and in the ensuing chaos, mayhem and looting became rampant—about 15% of the city's police force had simply walked off the job. The 20,000 people who made their way to the Superdome, the city's emergency shelter, found themselves crammed into sweltering and fetid conditions. At a second shelter, the convention center, evacuees were terrorized by roaming gangs and random gunfire. Relief workers, medical help, security forces, and essential supplies remained profoundly inadequate during the first critical days of the disaster. Poor and Elderly Disproportionately Affected As most of the city's citizens fled the city, those without cars or the financial means to relocate were left behind. The 100,000 who remained in the drowning city were largely poor and predominantly black, exposing the racial dimension of New Orleans’s persistent poverty: 28% of New Orleanians are poor (twice the national average) and 84% of those are black. The elderly poor were also disproportionately affected by the disaster: 70% of the New Orleans area's 53 nursing homes were not evacuated before the hurricane struck. A Natural Disaster Waiting to Happen Hurricane Katrina has been called the most anticipated disaster in modern American history. For years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had ranked New Orleans and San Francisco as the two cities most vulnerable to catastrophic natural disaster, and a day before Katrina's landfall, the National Weather Service warned that the hurricane would cause "human suffering incredible by modern standards." All Levels of Government Falter Americans were shaken not simply by the magnitude of the disaster but by how ill-prepared all levels of government were in its aftermath. Although New Orleans had performed a hurricane drill the previous year, the city and state governments had no transportation or crime prevention plans in place, and such negligence had devastating consequences. Homeland Security and FEMA The Department of Homeland Security, the new cabinet agency created for the very purpose of increasing domestic security, had unveiled its National Response Plan in Jan. 2005, which promised "vastly improved coordination among federal, state, local, and tribal organizations . . . by increasing the speed, effectiveness, and efficiency of incident management." Yet Michael Chertoff, the Department's Secretary, waited until two days after the hurricane hit before putting the plan into effect by declaring it an "incident of national significance." Critics claimed Homeland Security's efforts had been focused on the prevention of terrorism at the expense of preparing for natural catastrophes. Seeming not to grasp the scale of the disaster, Chertoff and Michael Brown, the director of FEMA, expressed surprise at the dangerous conditions in the convention center in New Orleans, days after its horrific images had saturated the airwaves, making them appear less informed than the average TV viewer. Brown was so inept in managing the crisis that he was quietly removed after two weeks. All three top jobs at FEMA had been filled by political appointees with no emergency management experience, and half of the agency's senior career professionals had been cut since 2000. The President's Response In sharp contrast to the leadership he displayed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, President Bushinitially seemed off-key and out of touch, declaring that he didn't "think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees" and waiting four days before his first brief visit to the region. Trust in the president's ability to lead the country during a crisis had been a central factor in his reelection, but two-thirds of Americans considered his response to Katrina inadequate. To repair his image, Bush acknowledged the government's faltering response and pledged "one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen." A Year Later A year after Katrina, the population of New Orleans was less than half of what it was before the storm hit. Nearly half the city's hospitals remained shut and half its doctors had moved out of the area. Electricity was restored to just 60% of the city.

Hurricanes by the Numbers (Atlantic hurricane statistics) Millions live in the paths of the biggest storms Source: U.S. Census Bureau 10 The number of hurricanes during the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, with only two of them as major hurricanes (Category 3-strength or higher). However, one of the major hurricanes was Hurricane Sandy. It struck southeastern Cuba at Category 3 strength, then made landfall in New Jersey as a post-tropical cyclone. It was the second costliest cyclone on record (not adjusted for inflation) at $50 billion, ranking only behind Hurricane Katrina from 2005. The only other hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. in 2012 was Hurricane Isaac, which hit Louisiana. 82.2 million Population as of July 1, 2012, of coastal states stretching from North Carolina to Texas — the areas most threatened by Atlantic hurricanes. An estimated 26.2 percent of the nation's population live in these states. 34.1 million Population in 1960 of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas. Approximately 19 percent of the nation's population lived in these areas at that time. 240.9% Percentage growth of the population of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas between 1960 and 2012. 591,821 Collective land area in square miles of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas. 10 Year Anniversary of Hurricane Isabel 2003 The costliest and deadliest hurricane of 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall in the U.S. on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Sept. 18, destroying many homes on the barrier island. Isabel later moved north through Virginia and Washington, D.C., and ended up causing about $3 billion in damage to the mid-Atlantic region. Category 2 The strength of Hurricane Isabel at landfall based on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with maximum sustained winds measured at 105 mph. Isabel reached a peak as a Category 5 storm on Sept. 11 south of Bermuda, but gradually weakened as it approached landfall. 3 Counties that encompass the land area of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The area includes parts of Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties. 64,509 Population of Currituck County, Dare County and Hyde County in North Carolina in 2012. 26,581 The number of occupied housing units in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties combined. $236,500; 321,200; and 93,600 Median home value of owner-occupied units in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties, respectively. 32.0, 19.5 and 25.1 minutes Mean commuting time to work for residents in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties, respectively. 7.8%, 11.1% and 25.1% The percent of people who live below poverty level in in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties, respectively. History of Hurricane Naming Conventions Andrea The name of the first Atlantic storm of 2013. Hurricane names rotate in a six-year cycle with the 2013 list being a repeat of the 2007 names. 76 The number of hurricane names officially retired by the World Meteorological Organization. Although hurricane names are recycled every six years, for reasons of sensitivity, hurricane names that were so deadly and costly that re-use of the name would be considered inappropriate are retired. 1950 The year the Weather Bureau officially began naming hurricanes. 2005 In one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, 28 named storms formed, forcing use of the alternate Greek alphabet scheme for the first time. When the National Hurricane Center's list of 21 approved names runs out for the year, hurricanes are named after Greek letters. Of the 28 named storms in 2005, 15 were hurricanes, with four storms reaching Category 5 status (Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma) and three more being considered major. Preparing for Emergencies Using Census Bureau Statistics The growth in population of coastal areas illustrates the importance of emergency planning and preparedness for areas that are more susceptible to inclement weather conditions. The U.S. Census Bureau's official decennial census and population estimates, along with annually updated socio-economic data from the American Community Survey, provide a detailed look at the nation's growing coastal population. Emergency planners and community leaders can better assess the needs of coastal populations using Census Bureau statistics.

Hurricane Season The deadliest, strongest, and costliest Atlantic storms Quizzes and Crosswords Extreme Weather Disasters Quiz Great Disasters Quiz Weather Disasters Crossword Hurricane Season 2013—Predictions According to Tropical Storm Risk (TSR), an above-average hurricane season is predicted for 2013. TSR predicts the Atlantic basin will see 15.4 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), including 7.7 hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), and 3.4 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher) in 2013. Hurricane Season 2012—Review The 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and ended November 30, tied 2011, 2010, 1995, and 1887 for the third most active season in recorded history. In 2012, there were 10 hurricanes, 2 major hurricanes, 19 tropical storms, and 19 tropical cyclones. Total damage was estimated at $76.8 billion and 322 people were killed. Most of the damage was done by the two major hurricanes, Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Isaac. Hurricane Season 2011—Review The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and ended November 30, tied 2010, 1995, and 1887 for the third highest number of tropical storms with 20, including seven hurricanes, four of them major hurricanes. Hurricanes: Irene, Katia, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina Tropical storms: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Jose, Lee, Sean, tropical depression Ten, unnamed tropical storm. Hurricane Season 2010—Review The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and ended November 30, produced the third largest number of named storms, with 20, and the second largest number of hurricanes, with 12. This places 2010 as the tenth most active season since 1950. Hurricanes: Alex, Danielle, Earl, Igor, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Otto, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tomas. Tropical storms: Bonnie, Colin, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Matthew, Nicole. Hurricane Season 2009—Review The 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and ended November 30, produced fewer, shorter-lived, and generally weaker named storms than in years past. There were nine named storms, three of which became hurricanes and two became major hurricanes. An average season sees 11 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes, including two major hurricanes. The named storms were: Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fred, Grace, Henri, and Ida.

Tornadoes Facts and figures about twisters Tornado Index Average number of tornadoes per year (1950–2010):1,253 Top 5 states with highest incidence of tornadoes:Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Florida, Nebraska States with lowest incidence of tornadoes):Alaska, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Vermont, Oregon Most tornadoes in one day:316 (April 2011) Most tornadoes in one month:543 (May 2003) Most tornado deaths in one year:550 (2011) Fewest tornado deaths in one year:15 (1986) Source: Storm Prediction Centerat the National Weather Service Although tornadoescan happen at any time of year, they are especially common during the spring and early summer. May and June are the peak months in terms of numbers of tornadoes, but April appears to be the deadliest month. Two of the all-time worst tornado disasters occurred in April. On April 3-4, 1974, 148 twisters struck 13 states, causing more than 300 deaths, and on April 27, 2011, 137 reported tornadoes swept through the south, killing nearly 300 people in six states. Most of the fatalities occurred in Alabama. May holds the record for experiencing the most tornadoes. In May 2003, there were 543 recorded tornadoes. On average, 60 people die each year as a result of tornadoes, mostly from flying and falling debris. What Is a Tornado? A tornado is a dark funnel-shaped cloud made up of violently rotating winds that can reach speeds of up to 300 m.p.h. The diameter of a tornado can vary between a few feet and a mile, and its track can extend from less than a mile to several hundred miles. Tornadoes generally travel in a northeast direction (depending on the prevailing winds) at speeds ranging from 20-60 m.p.h. What Causes a Tornado? Tornadoes are most often spawned by giant thunderstorms known as "supercells." These powerful, highly organized storms form when warm, moist air along the ground rushes upward, meeting cooler, drier air. As the rising warm air cools, the moisture it carries condenses, forming a massive thundercloud, sometimes growing to as much as 50,000 ft. in height. Variable winds at different levels of the atmosphere feed the updraft and cause the formation of the tornado's characteristic funnel shape. Did you know? April is the deadliest month for tornadoes [ more] Where Do Tornadoes Occur? The conditions that lead to the formation of tornadoes are most often met in the central and southern U.S., where warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cool, dry air from the Rockies and Canada. This area, dubbed "tornado alley," extends roughly from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians, and from Iowa and Nebraska to the Gulf of Mexico. Tornadoes can also occur elsewhere, though, including all U.S. states, Europe, Asia, and Australia. What Kind of Destruction Do Tornadoes Cause? The Fujitascale classifies tornadoes according to the damage they cause. Almost half of all tornadoes fall into the F1 or "moderate damage" category. These tornadoes reach speeds of 73-112 m.p.h. and can overturn automobiles and mobile homes, rip off the roofs of houses, and uproot trees. Only about 1 percent of tornadoes are classified as F5, causing "incredible damage." With wind speeds in excess of 261 m.p.h., these tornadoes are capable of lifting houses off their foundations and hurling them considerable distances.

Lightning Zeus, park rangers, and the probability of being struck by lightning Here are a few things to bear in mind if you don't want to become a victim of a "fiery flaming thunderbolt," as Homercalled Zeus's favorite weapon: Avoid Florida, Texas, and North Carolina—the states with the greatest number of lightning deaths. Especially avoid these states in June (the worst month for lightning), followed by August, July, April, and September. open spaces, fields, and ballparks(location of 28% of deaths and 29% of lightning injuries) standing under trees (18% of deaths and 13% of injuries) boating, fishing, and other water-related activities (13% of deaths and 6% of injuries) golfcourses, tractors or heavy road equipment, and telephone booths airplanes are also a bad idea—the deadliest lightning strike ever was of a Boeing 707 near Elkton, Maryland, on Dec. 8, 1963. The plane then crashed, killing 81 people. Zeus, the Greek king of the gods, punished wayward mortals and miscreant gods by hurling thunderbolts at them. Sky deities from many world religions, including Zeus's Roman counterpart Jupiter, the Germanic Thor, the MayanChac, and the SlavicPerun, all used the thunderbolt as the paramount symbol of power. Whether deserving the wrath of the gods or not, chances are slim that you'll meet your end from a bolt of lightning. Lightning causes only an average of 57 deaths and 300 injuries in the United States each year. The National Weather Service publicationStorm Datarecorded a total of 9,207 deaths—the most of all the severe weather categories—between 1940 and 2011. In 2012, there were 28 lightning fatalities in the U.S. Dead Ringers Whatever your strategy for avoiding lightning, be sure to stay clear of church bells. During the Middle Ages, their ringing was believed to diffuse lightning, and many medieval bells were engraved withFulgura frango("I break up the lightning"). This suspect theory was discredited by a medieval scholar who observed that over a 33-year period, there were 386 lightning strikes on church towers and 103 fatalities among bell ringers. Shocking Humor Should you live to tell the tale of being struck by lightning, you can join the Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors International, Inc. (LSESSI), a non-profit support group for such survivors. With its motto, "Join us if it strikes you," and newsletter,Hit or Miss, the group emphasizes the necessity of a sense of humor in overcoming trauma. One LSESSI member has been victimized both indoors and outdoors. The record holder, however, is Roy C. Sullivan, an ex-park ranger who survived seven different lightning strikes. According to theGuinness Book of Records, Sullivan was first hit by lightning in 1942, which caused him to lose his big toenail. Over the next 35 years, lightning burned off Sullivan's eyebrows, seared his left shoulders, set his hair on fire, struck his legs, injured his ankle, and burned his stomach and chest. Safe Spots The safest place to be during a thunderstorm is in a building, preferably one with a lightning rod. The rod offers protection by intercepting lightning—an electrical charge—and transmitting its current into the ground. Made out of metal so that it conducts the charge, it is usually located as high as possible because of lightning's tendency to strike the nearest object to it. (And yes, Benjamin Franklindid invent the lightning rod, as well as prove that lightning was actually electricity through his flying-a-kite-during-a-thunderstorm experiment.) The other safe place is a car with the windows rolled up, as long as you don't touch any of the metal parts. If lightning strikes, the car's metal body will conduct the charge down to the ground—contrary to popular belief, the rubber of the wheels offers no protection.