Santos Alvarado Juanita Casanova Ana Cavazos Gayle Robinson Lupita Sanchez 1900 Galveston Hurricane ESS Analysis

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1 1900 Galveston Hurricane ESS Analysis Problem Statement: Hurricanes are natural disasters that are presented every year; they cause catastrophic disaster to the area they approach. The problem is that hurricanes are developing stronger than the 1900 Galveston Hurricane and 2005 Hurricane Katrina as measured by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Most people are affected by the lack of prevention and preparation to hurricanes approaching because of the absence of education and life experiences about hurricanes. Opening Statement: A hurricane strikes coastal areas and is the most severe category of meteorological phenomenon known as the tropical cyclone. The low pressure cyclone forms over warm waters and starts out as a tropical depression with winds of 38 mph or less. When winds exceed 74 mph, the storm is considered a hurricane. Tropical storms are tracked and monitored by the National Weather Service from the time they develop to after they reach landfall. Should the storm reaches hurricane strength, the Saffir- Simpson Hurricane Scale defines hurricane strength by categories. A Category 1 storm is the weakest hurricane (winds mph or kt); a Category 5 hurricane is the strongest (winds greater than 155 mph or 135 kt) as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The population in coastal areas, property development, and tourists attracted to coastal areas are rising. This increases the risk of property damage, injury, or fatalities due to hurricanes. Considering the ample warning the public receives from the National Weather Service when a hurricane is approaching, there is adequate time to heed the warnings and take the necessary precautions to prepare and insure one s safety. In order for the public to heed the warnings appropriately and in a safe, timely manner public education is of the utmost importance. First and foremost, the public should be aware that according to NOAA, the category of the storm does not necessarily relate directly to the damage it will inflict. Lower category storms (and even tropical storms) can cause substantial damage depending on what other weather features they interact with, where they strike, and how slow they move. Precautions and preventive measures

2 should be during tropical prevent property taken any storm to the loss of and lives. Recommendation/Possible Solution: 1. People need to become more educated about the possible destruction produced by hurricane winds and storm surges.most people do not realize the danger hurricanes can become. Older generations understand the potential hurricane devastation. Even people living in land must be prepared. 2. Cities could create accessible hurricane evacuation routes and make them more public via broadcast media, social networks, and reverse 911 plans. During the beginning of hurricane season, cities make tracking hurricanes accessible through T.V. media, grocery shopping centers, and T.V websites. Hurricane evacuation routes could also be accessible through social networks and T.V. websites. 3. School systems could provide hurricane awareness packages for families to completee and discuss at home. Schools could also contribute by providing hurricane awareness packages for families, having families complete the packs they will be better prepared. 4. Homeowners could be provided with an awareness seminar to prepare them for the possible ramifications of no flood insurance during a hurricane. Homeowners could make sure that they are current with home and flood insurance to minimize personal expenses.

3 5. People could plan a family evacuation plan and determine location where they will evacuate to and the phone numbers and names of contact people. Family members will develop a personal evacuation plan and make each family member aware of said plan. 6. People could review and prepare their own checklist based on their particular family situation ( infants, aged parents, medical necessities, and animal shelters). Families need to make sure that they have reserve medications, baby formulas, etc. based on their particular family needs. ESS Relationship: Biosphere E >B Hurricane destroys vegetation life, due to high-speed winds, damaging hail, and rainfall (Prior Knowledge, Observation) E > B > L Land would be destroyed/eroded, which would lead to the destruction of animal habitats E>B: Hurricane forces cause destruction to all property and land. People and animals are displaced. E>B Hurricanes cause flooding in many coastal areas, which can lead to erosion. The winds of a hurricane are able to uproot trees and cause damage to the structures of buildings. E>B Storm surges destroys vegetation, rainfall causes loss of life due to flooding and drowning; and may pollute drinking water resources. Strong winds project objects into the air possibly harming humans. E>B In some areas there is thin sand veneer on top of clay. With that sand now gone, all of the invertebrate animals are gone because they are not able to live in the clay. E>B Hurricanes will impact other animals in the food chain, such as birds that previously fed on the small creatures. E>B Sand dunes are blown out ; the dunes support animals such as Kemp s Ridley sea turtles, which are endangered. E>B Marshes are affected; loss of marshes affects the ecosystems: algae, plants, gulf crab, shrimp and fish E>B Loss of marshes has an impact on economy.

4 E>B Houses and buildings are damaged due to strong winds and excessive rain and flooding. Hydrosphere E > H Hurricanes cause massive flooding in low surround areas, overflow rivers, with the amount of rainfall E > H Hurricanes become stronger due to warm ocean water E>H: The hurricane winds stir up the ocean, and destroy coral reefs, as well kills fish and other animals when bacteria is deposited into the ocean. This, in turn, is harmful to people when they swim in these waters and/or eat the fish infected with this bacteria. E>H Hurricanes carry a lot of water from the ocean onto the land, which led to rainfall and flooding E>H Flooding from rain creates hazardous wastes, pesticides, and other toxic chemicals to contaminate water sources. H > E Hurricanes develop in warm tropical waters of at least 80 degrees. Warm water is fuel for hurricanes. Lithosphere E>L: The destruction by hurricane winds changes land when it destroys all vegetation on it and causes erosion from flooding during the storm surge. E>L Hurricanes cause weathering and erosion of coastal soils, destroying many habitats. E>L Water carries many different sediments, small chunks of rock, and debris. E>L Storm surge inundates low-lying areas of the coastal areas combined with wind it erodes beaches and embankments. L > E As a hurricane reaches land it encounters friction and lack of fuel (warm water) and the hurricane starts to die down. Atmosphere

5 E > A Hurricanes affect the air pressure of the region, causes rain fall, and wind speeds to change. E>A: The hurricane causes strong winds, which propel water, hail, and debris into the atmosphere; thus creating a dangerous situation for everyone. E>A the debris from the damage caused by a hurricane, if produced in large amounts, has the potential to pollute the atmosphere. E>A The wind up roots trees which produces oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, lack of trees tend to decrease oxygen production and an increase of carbon dioxide in the affected areas. A > E Warm air raises causing clusters of clouds and thunderstorms called tropical disturbances. Which leads to formation of hurricanes? Sphere-to-Sphere Interactions A>L Hurricane winds erode beaches and embankments. A>H Hurricanes create storm surges due the wind pushing against water sources L > A the lithosphere does not contain warm water that servers as fuel for hurricanes so the hurricanes die down. L > B Flooding kills vegetation that grows on the lithosphere and animals which feed on the vegetation which can diminish the food supply to humans and other animals. H>B Hurricanes create storm surges, which create flooding killing humans, animals and vegetation. E>B>H Fresh water flooding from excessive rainfall can lead to large numbers of deaths by drowning. E>L>H Excessive rain and flooding caused erosion of the land and sand deposited well inland of the shoreline E > H >L> A the decomposing life (plants, animals, maybe humans) contaminate water and land for other living-organisms. E > L > B >H Due to the over flooding of the land region, this will cause contamination of water with sewage or remaining still water, which may cause contamination to life and the land. E>A>L The atmosphere becomes very cloudy, which blocks sunlight E>A>B> Hurricanes kill many organisms adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

6 E> A>B When a hurricane travels on land it brings severe winds, heavy rains, and possibly tornadoes, that can destroy buildings, equipment, and power lines. E>A>B> Hurricanes draw a lot of energy from the ocean and then releases it on land causing tornadoes affecting the land Evidence: Hurricane Preparedness Links Planning for a Hurricane from building an Emergency Kit to Tracking the Storm: Hurricane Safety Checklist: Reverse 911 Cell Phone and Address Registration: Registration Disaster Supply Kit: Hurricane Preparedness Video from The Weather Channel: Hurricane Preparedness Tips for Gulf Coast Residents Hurricane Preparedness for the Lower Rio Grande Valley:

7 Hurricane History in Deep South Texas: Alternate Evacuation Routes for Rio Grande Valley: ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/trv/hurricane/rgv_evacuation.pdf Hurricane Galveston: Netrekker: Username: houstonhgn; Password: eages. Search by topic (standard aligned, teacher approved K-12 search engine)