A hurricane is a violent windstorm that threatens the coasts (Pacific and Atlantic Oceans) with flooding, excessive rainfall and violent gusts of wind. A hurricane can be very deadly, so it is very important to know about the storm and its properties. As you read this article, you will learn about hurricanes as a general topic and some specific examples such as how the hurricane tragedy highlighted the flaws of the US government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Hurricanes begin as tropical depressions when warm, moist air above the ocean rises and creates low pressure. Higher pressure pushes it and creates hot air. The hot air rises and causes the air to spin. It forms clouds that are strengthened by warm air rising from the ocean. When these clouds reach land, they are accompanied by high waves and strong winds. These cause the destruction of the subjugated lands. Hurricanes form in the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans. Many begin as depressions off the coast of Africa. Hurricanes occur when oceans warm during the summer months. In the North Atlantic, hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Hurricanes lose strength as they pass over land, as warm water is the main source of energy that fuels the storm. Hurricanes are divided into 5 categories, 5 are the strongest and 1 is the weakest. A hurricane is placed into a category depending on the speed of its winds. If a hurricane is traveling at 74-95 mph, it is a Category 1 hurricane, 96-110 mph: Category 2, 111-130 mph: Category 3, 131-155 mph: Category 4, and over 155 mph: Category 5. Parts of a Hurricanes are the eye, the eye wall, the spiral rain bands and the rain shield. The average diameter of a hurricane is 600 km (350 mi), and the average eye (calm) diameter is 30 km (18.5 mi). Hurricane Katrina began as a tropical depression over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005. Katrina then passed through South Florida as a Category 1 hurricane with limited deaths and flooding. Katrina continued on its path and headed toward the Gulf of Mexico, developing into a Category 5 hurricane. On August 28, Katrina rapidly intensified and became a Category 5 hurricane at 7:00 a.m. – and the fourth hurricane most intense Atlantic ever recorded. By the time it hit New Orleans, Louisiana and Mississippi, it was down to a Category 3 hurricane. This information is displayed on timelines and diagrams. Katrina affected Georgia, Mississippi, New Orleans, Kentucky, Alabama, Cuba, Louisiana, West Virginia, the Bahamas, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, southern Florida and the Gulf Coast. Louisiana and Mississippi suffered the most, due to their vulnerability and critical importance. New Orleans, in particular, suffered the most. In total, 1577 people from Louisiana were killed during the hurricane. It was mostly affected because New Orleans is completely below sea level. This made it vulnerable to high waves and strong winds. Levees built to protect the city from flooding also broke, causing more flooding than expected. A storm surge is a wind that constantly blows across the ocean surface with such force that it temporarily raises sea levels around the affected area for a short period of time. Storm surges may be 3-20 feet above normal. When they occur during high tide, they can be much worse. Flooding is usually the primary concern with storm surges. It's a bit like a tsunami, but much slower and less so.