Teacher Background Material

Oceans and Hurricanes:

As an integral part of the water cycle, the world's oceans have an enormous impact on weather. Among the most severe forms of weather oceans contribute to are hurricanes, which originate over tropical waters. Hurricanes occur when warm, moist air masses collide with cold air masses. Oceans provide the steady supply of warm, moist air that feeds these whirling storm systems. Storms may then move toward land, where they weaken and die. A storm with winds blowing at more than 74 miles and hour is classified as a hurricane. Hurricanes cause the greatest destruction in the Caribbean, Madagascar, southern Asia, and the eastern coast of Australia. About three hurricanes hit the North American coast each year, often causing extensive damage.

Summer and early fall is hurricane and students can look for newspaper articles if your ocean study falls in this time frame. Create a display with a map to track the course of the storm systems. Tracking hurricanes will help children visualize that the life of most hurricanes is at sea and that none travel too far inland.