HURRICANES

HURRICANES LESSON

Directions:

Print the Hurricanes reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

A hurricane is a strong storm that forms in one of the worlds many oceans. The ideal situation for a hurricane to form is when the ocean water is warm. As it is forming in the sea, the warmer the water is the stronger the hurricane becomes. This means the places most likely to have hurricanes are the southern Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. However, Hurricanes can form in any ocean. They are just more likely to happen in these places.

One of the most dangerous parts of a hurricane is the eye. This is the center of the storm. Hurricanes move in a counter-clockwise direction around the eye of the storm. When a ship or plane is in eye, everything seems very calm. However, this is an illusion because the surrounding storm is incredibly dangerous.

At some point, a hurricane will hit land. When this happens, the strong winds and heavy rains can cause serious damage. In hurricanes, homes and buildings may be destroyed, cars and trees can be overturned, and people can lose their lives. When the hurricane comes on land, the waves that crash ashore are known as a storm surge. Storm surges are one of the most dangerous parts of a hurricane. They should be avoided at all costs. This is why people are warned to stay away from the ocean during a hurricane.

Hurricanes are placed into one of five categories. Once a storm reaches a wind speed of at least 74 miles per hour it can be classified as a hurricane. The categories are set up based on the storm and how it progresses.

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