Hurricanes for kids in Primary School - Geography homework help

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is a huge, swirling storm that forms over warm ocean waters and moves toward land. It brings extremely strong winds, heavy rain, and big waves called storm surges. Hurricanes can cause serious damage when they reach land, like flooding homes, knocking down trees, and cutting off electricity.

Hurricanes are part of a group of storms called tropical cyclones. They are very dangerous, but they also help balance the Earth's weather by moving heat from the tropics to cooler places.

What causes a hurricane?

Hurricanes are created by nature when the ocean and atmosphere work together. Here’s how:

Warm Water: The ocean needs to be at least 80°F (27°C) for a hurricane to form.
Rising Air: Warm, moist air rises from the ocean, creating a low-pressure area below it.
Spinning Motion: The Earth’s rotation causes the air to spin, making the storm grow.
Energy Boost: As the storm pulls in more warm air, it becomes stronger and bigger.

If the winds inside the storm reach 74 mph (120 km/h), it officially becomes a hurricane. Without warm water, the storm weakens, which is why hurricanes often fade after moving over land or cooler water.

What is the difference between a hurricane, typhoon and a cyclone?

Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are the same type of storm, but their names depend on where they happen:

Hurricanes - North Atlantic, Central North Pacific, and Eastern North Pacific (like in the U.S. and Caribbean)
Typhoons - Northwest Pacific (like near Japan and the Philippines)
Cyclones - South Pacific and Indian Ocean (like in Australia or India)

So, if you hear about a typhoon in Asia or a cyclone in Australia, remember—it’s still a hurricane!

How fast and strong are hurricane winds?

Hurricane winds are incredibly strong and fast. They start at 74 mph (120 km/h), which is as fast as a speeding car. In the strongest hurricanes, winds can go over 150 mph (240 km/h)—fast enough to tear roofs off houses, knock over trees, and even pick up cars!

Hurricanes are measured by their wind speeds using the Saffir-Simpson Scale:

Category 1: 74–95 mph (can cause some damage).
Category 2: 96–110 mph (can cause moderate damage).
Category 3: 111–129 mph (can cause major damage).
Category 4: 130–156 mph (very severe damage).
Category 5: 157 mph or more (catastrophic damage).

Hurricanes are so big that they can cover entire states or countries. Did you know that astronauts in space can see hurricanes from the International Space Station?

The impact of hurricanes on people and the environment

Hurricanes are powerful and can change the land and lives of people in significant ways.

For People: Hurricanes can destroy homes, businesses, and schools, leaving many families with nothing. Entire neighbourhoods may be flooded, and power outages can last for weeks or even months. People often have to rebuild their lives from scratch after the storm passes.

For Nature: Hurricanes can uproot forests, destroy coral reefs, and flood animal habitats. The saltwater from storm surges can damage plants and make the soil unsuitable for farming. Wildlife is often displaced, and ecosystems can take a long time to recover.

Even after the hurricane is gone, it can take years for people and the environment to fully recover from the damage caused.

What have been the most destructive hurricanes?

Here are some of the most destructive hurricanes in history based on damage, strength, and the impact they had on people and places.

Hurricane Katrina- 2005

Location: U.S. Gulf Coast (especially Louisiana, Mississippi)
Top wind speed: 175 mph, Category 5
Damage: $160 billion
Impact: One of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, Katrina caused massive flooding in New Orleans when levees broke, leaving much of the city underwater. It led to over 1,800 deaths and displaced thousands of people.

Hurricane Harvey - September 2017

Location: Texas (especially Houston)
Top wind speed: 130 mph, Category 4
Damage: $125 billion
Impact: Harvey dropped an incredible amount of rain, leading to record flooding in Houston and surrounding areas. It caused widespread damage, left tens of thousands of homes destroyed and left 107 people dead.

Hurricane Maria - September 2017

Location: Puerto Rico, Dominica, U.S. Virgin Islands
Top wind speed: 175 mph, Category 5
Damage: $91.6 billion
Impact: Maria devastated Puerto Rico, causing widespread power outages, destroying homes, and leaving the island without power for months. It resulted in 3,059 deaths and a long-lasting humanitarian crisis.

Hurricane Irma - September 2017

Location: Caribbean, Florida
Top wind speed: 180 mph, Category 5
Damage: $77 billion
Impact: One of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded, Irma caused massive destruction across the Caribbean islands and parts of Florida. Its powerful winds and storm surges damaged buildings and left many without power. There were 134 deaths.

Hurricane Sandy - October 2012

Location: U.S. East Coast (especially New York and New Jersey)
Top wind speed: 115 mph, Category 3
Damage: $65 billion
Impact: Known as "Superstorm Sandy," it caused severe flooding, especially in New York City, and damaged thousands of homes and businesses. Sandy's storm surge caused power outages and left millions of people without electricity. It was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record spanning 1,150 miles (1,850 km) wide. There were 254 deaths.

Hurricane Mitch - November 1998

Location: Central America (especially Honduras and Nicaragua)
Top wind speed: 180 mph, Category 5
Damage: $6 billion
Impact: Mitch caused deadly mudslides and flooding, killing 11,374 people, mostly in Honduras and Nicaragua. It was one of the most lethal hurricanes on record in the Western Hemisphere.

The Great Galveston Hurricane- September 1900

Location: Galveston, Texas
Top wind speed: 145 mph, Category 4
Damage: $30 million (at the time; billions today)
Impact: This is the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history, killing between 6,000 and 12,000 people. It destroyed much of the city of Galveston, which was completely flooded by the storm surge.

Stop Disasters Game
Learn the risks posed by natural hazards and manage your resources. Build schools, hospitals, housing and defences to protect the local population.

How can we stop hurricanes?

Scientists are trying to find ways to reduce the strength of hurricanes, but stopping them completely is not possible yet. Some ideas include:

Cooling the Water: Hurricanes need warm water to grow. If we can cool the water, hurricanes might weaken.
Breaking the Winds: Experiments with special aeroplanes and technology aim to disrupt the spinning winds of hurricanes.
Building Better Cities: Stronger buildings, flood barriers, and better planning can help reduce hurricane damage.

For now, the best way to handle hurricanes is to be prepared and listen to weather warnings.

Facts about hurricanes

Hurricanes are one of the largest storms on Earth, and the eye in the centre of the storm is calm and quiet.
A single hurricane can release the same amount of energy as 10,000 nuclear bombs in one day!
Hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere spin counterclockwise, but in the Southern Hemisphere, they spin clockwise.
Hurricanes can dump 9 trillion litres of rain per day—enough to fill millions of swimming pools!
The word “hurricane” comes from “Huracan,” a storm god, according to the beliefs of the ancient Taino people.
The longest-lasting hurricane, Hurricane John (1994), lasted 31 days.