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Science 123
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Spring 2026
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Hurricane Damage
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Wind
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relative to the cyclone, strongest winds are located near the eye wall
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strongest winds, on an absolute scale, depend on the rotation of the storm and the direction of motion
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tornadoes - 1/4 of the hurricanes that strike the US produce tornadoes
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formation mechanism not totally understood
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favored location appears to be the right front quadrant
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surface topography may be a factor
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some theorize they may be spin-up vortices that form near the eye wall where the wind shear is greatest, then stretched vertically in a strong updraft
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Flooding
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causes the most damage
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flooding caused, or enhanced, by
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high seas
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abundant rainfall
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high seas
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low pressure at the eye causes sea surface rise - 1 cm per 1 mb
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Ekman Spiral causes sea level rise near the shore in some instances
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high tide
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combined with high winds and motion of the storm causes the storm surge
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rainfall - can rain one inch an hour for 24 hours or more