What is the primary characteristic used to define a hurricane?
A) A tropical storm with sustained winds of at least 74 mph
B) A cold front moving over warm waters
C) A cyclone with winds less than 39 mph
D) A heavy rainstorm with high humidity
Answer: A) A tropical storm with sustained winds of at least 74 mph
Which scale is used to categorize the intensity of hurricanes?
A) Richter Scale
B) Fujita Scale
C) Saffir-Simpson Scale
D) Beaufort Scale
Answer: C) Saffir-Simpson Scale
What is the typical time frame for hurricane season in the Atlantic?
A) January to March
B) April to June
C) June to November
D) December to February
Answer: C) June to November
Which U.S. state is most frequently impacted by hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico?
A) Florida
B) New York
C) California
D) Alaska
Answer: A) Florida
What term describes the calm center of a hurricane?
A) Eye
B) Eye wall
C) Storm surge
D) Outer bands
Answer: A) Eye
Which category on the Saffir-Simpson Scale represents the most severe hurricanes?
A) Category 1
B) Category 2
C) Category 3
D) Category 5
Answer: D) Category 5
Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans in 2005, was what category on the Saffir-Simpson Scale at its peak?
A) Category 1
B) Category 3
C) Category 4
D) Category 5
Answer: D) Category 5
Which atmospheric condition is essential for hurricane formation?
A) Cold ocean waters
B) High atmospheric pressure
C) Warm ocean waters
D) Low humidity
Answer: C) Warm ocean waters
What is a “storm surge” in the context of hurricanes?
A) A rapid increase in hurricane wind speed
B) An abnormal rise in sea level due to the storm’s winds
C) A decrease in atmospheric pressure
D) A sudden drop in temperature
Answer: B) An abnormal rise in sea level due to the storm’s winds
Which U.S. city was significantly impacted by Hurricane Harvey in 2017?
A) Miami
B) Houston
C) New Orleans
D) Charleston
Answer: B) Houston
What is the term for a hurricane that forms in the Atlantic Ocean and impacts the Gulf of Mexico?
A) Tropical depression
B) Cyclone
C) Typhoon
D) Atlantic hurricane
Answer: D) Atlantic hurricane
Which U.S. state has the most hurricane landfalls on average each year?
A) Florida
B) Louisiana
C) Texas
D) North Carolina
Answer: A) Florida
What phenomenon can occur when a hurricane’s eye passes over land, leading to a temporary calm?
A) Backlash
B) Eye wall replacement
C) Eye of the storm
D) Storm surge
Answer: C) Eye of the storm
What is the name of the Pacific Ocean counterpart to Atlantic hurricanes?
A) Cyclone
B) Typhoon
C) Tropical storm
D) Tornado
Answer: B) Typhoon
Which organization is responsible for issuing hurricane warnings in the U.S.?
A) National Hurricane Center (NHC)
B) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
C) National Weather Service (NWS)
D) U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Answer: A) National Hurricane Center (NHC)
What is the primary factor that contributes to the weakening of a hurricane once it makes landfall?
A) Increased wind speed
B) Warm ocean waters
C) Loss of warm water and increased friction
D) Increased atmospheric pressure
Answer: C) Loss of warm water and increased friction
Which U.S. city experienced severe flooding from Hurricane Sandy in 2012?
A) Philadelphia
B) Boston
C) New York City
D) Miami
Answer: C) New York City
What term describes the rotating, organized system of thunderstorms that make up a hurricane?
A) Cyclone
B) Depression
C) Tropical wave
D) Tropical cyclone
Answer: D) Tropical cyclone
Which U.S. coast is most affected by hurricanes originating in the Atlantic Ocean?
A) West Coast
B) East Coast
C) Gulf Coast
D) Alaskan Coast
Answer: B) East Coast
In which month does the Atlantic hurricane season typically peak?
A) June
B) August
C) September
D) November
Answer: C) September
What type of storm is classified as a hurricane when its wind speeds exceed 74 mph?
A) Tropical depression
B) Tropical storm
C) Hurricane
D) Typhoon
Answer: C) Hurricane
Which U.S. state is often included in hurricane evacuation plans due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico?
A) Illinois
B) Ohio
C) Alabama
D) Montana
Answer: C) Alabama
What is the term for a hurricane’s outer bands of rain and thunderstorms?
A) Eye
B) Eye wall
C) Spiral bands
D) Storm surge
Answer: C) Spiral bands
Which U.S. state experienced Hurricane Michael in 2018, causing significant damage?
A) Texas
B) Florida
C) Louisiana
D) Mississippi
Answer: B) Florida
What happens to hurricane intensity as it moves over land?
A) It strengthens
B) It remains unchanged
C) It weakens
D) It becomes a tornado
Answer: C) It weakens
What is the primary source of energy for hurricanes?
A) Warm, moist air from the ocean
B) Cold air from the poles
C) Seismic activity
D) High atmospheric pressure
Answer: A) Warm, moist air from the ocean
What term describes a tropical storm with wind speeds between 39 and 73 mph?
A) Tropical depression
B) Tropical storm
C) Hurricane
D) Typhoon
Answer: B) Tropical storm
Which U.S. hurricane disaster relief organization provides aid during and after hurricanes?
A) American Red Cross
B) National Park Service
C) U.S. Geological Survey
D) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Answer: A) American Red Cross
What kind of damage is typically caused by a hurricane’s storm surge?
A) Wind damage
B) Inland flooding
C) Coastal flooding and erosion
D) Ice damage
Answer: C) Coastal flooding and erosion
What is the term for the rapid intensification of a hurricane within a short period?
A) Hurricane bomb
B) Storm surge
C) Rapid cyclogenesis
D) Typhoon
Answer: C) Rapid cyclogenesis
Which U.S. city was severely affected by Hurricane Ivan in 2004?
A) Charleston
B) Pensacola
C) Miami
D) New Orleans
Answer: B) Pensacola
What is the primary purpose of a hurricane “watch” issued by weather agencies?
A) To announce that a hurricane has formed
B) To alert people that hurricane conditions are possible
C) To cancel school and work
D) To provide entertainment
Answer: B) To alert people that hurricane conditions are possible
Which hurricane, occurring in 2019, made landfall in the Bahamas and caused severe damage?
A) Hurricane Michael
B) Hurricane Irma
C) Hurricane Dorian
D) Hurricane Harvey
Answer: C) Hurricane Dorian
What is the term for a rotating column of air within a hurricane that produces severe weather conditions?
A) Tornado
B) Cyclone
C) Vortex
D) Storm surge
Answer: C) Vortex
Which U.S. state saw significant impacts from Hurricane Florence in 2018?
A) Texas
B) North Carolina
C) Florida
D) Louisiana
Answer: B) North Carolina
What type of rainfall is often associated with hurricanes, leading to potential flooding?
A) Light and steady
B) Drizzle
C) Heavy and intense
D) Snowfall
Answer: C) Heavy and intense
Which U.S. state is known for its extensive hurricane preparedness and evacuation plans?
A) Alaska
B) Michigan
C) Florida
D) Oregon
Answer: C) Florida
What term is used for the strong winds and rain that occur on the side of a hurricane facing its direction of movement?
A) Outer bands
B) Eye wall
C) Storm surge
D) Backlash
Answer: B) Eye wall
What does the term “Hurricane Warning” indicate?
A) That hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours
B) That a hurricane is expected to make landfall within 36 hours
C) That hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours
D) That hurricane conditions are not likely
Answer: C) That hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours
Which U.S. state was heavily impacted by Hurricane Ike in 2008?
A) New Jersey
B) Texas
C) Maryland
D) Georgia
Answer: B) Texas
What is the main effect of a hurricane’s “eye wall” on the surrounding areas?
A) It causes calm weather
B) It produces the strongest winds and heaviest rain
C) It decreases the hurricane’s intensity
D) It creates a storm surge
Answer: B) It produces the strongest winds and heaviest rain
Which hurricane, in 1992, was one of the most devastating to impact Florida?
A) Hurricane Hugo
B) Hurricane Katrina
C) Hurricane Andrew
D) Hurricane Wilma
Answer: C) Hurricane Andrew
What is a “tropical wave” in hurricane terminology?
A) A low-pressure system over the ocean
B) A storm system with high winds
C) A large area of thunderstorms without a defined center
D) A calm period within a hurricane
Answer: C) A large area of thunderstorms without a defined center
Which term describes a decrease in hurricane intensity due to interaction with land or cold waters?
A) Cyclogenesis
B) Extratropical transition
C) Hurricane decay
D) Rapid intensification
Answer: C) Hurricane decay
What does the term “hurricane evacuation” refer to?
A) Relocating to a hurricane shelter for protection
B) Moving to a higher elevation to avoid storm surge
C) Leaving an area at risk of hurricane impacts for safety
D) Applying for disaster relief funds
Answer: C) Leaving an area at risk of hurricane impacts for safety
What is the typical wind speed range of a Category 3 hurricane?
A) 74-95 mph
B) 96-110 mph
C) 111-129 mph
D) 130-156 mph
Answer: C) 111-129 mph
What is the name of the hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific Ocean?
A) Pacific Hurricane Season
B) Atlantic Hurricane Season
C) Western Pacific Season
D) Typhoon Season
Answer: A) Pacific Hurricane Season
Which hurricane made landfall in the Gulf Coast and caused widespread damage in 2019?
A) Hurricane Florence
B) Hurricane Dorian
C) Hurricane Michael
D) Hurricane Sally
Answer: D) Hurricane Sally
What is the term for the period when a hurricane’s winds are less intense but the storm is still active?
A) Eye wall replacement
B) Tropical depression
C) Hurricane lull
D) Tropical storm
Answer: C) Hurricane lull
Which factor does NOT contribute to the weakening of a hurricane?
A) Moving over cold waters
B) Increased wind shear
C) Landfall
D) High temperatures and high humidity
Answer: D) High temperatures and high humidity