Hurricanes are among the most violent weather events on Earth, and they can have ripple effects that continue long after the skies clear. This is why we must do everything we can to ensure that vulnerable communities are prepared and that their health needs are integrated into disaster response.
A hurricane is a large area of low pressure over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized convection and sustained winds near the surface of 74 miles per hour (and stronger gusts). It forms when the sun heats the ocean’s surface, causing water to evaporate. The warm water sucks in the surrounding air, creating a low-pressure zone. As the wind swirls around the low-pressure center, it stretches and compresses the clouds and rain. As this process continues, the storm gets stronger and more organized. It can turn into a tropical depression, then a tropical storm, and finally a hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center names these storms using a system based on their strength, direction of movement, and the speed of the cyclone’s eye. They also take into account other meteorological factors like size, cloud structure, and the amount of rainfall that they generate. The names are assigned by the NHC from six lists of letters that rotate every year.
Hurricanes cause flooding, which can lead to contaminated standing water and increased risks of infection from bacteria and viruses. They can also increase the risk of respiratory illness and asthma triggers, carbon monoxide poisoning from the use of fuel-burning generators in flooded homes, and exposure to toxic materials, such as lead.