My theme for my 2015 A to Z Challenge came from my
Disaster Crimes series. Disasters are a theme in each story, so it got me
thinking about all the disasters that occur from natural disasters to manmade
disasters.
Today’s
disaster is...
CYCLONE
A cyclone is a hurricane (or typhoon) that impacts the South
Pacific and Indian Oceans, but they have also been seen on extraterrestrial
planets, such as Mars and Neptune!
Cyclones are low-pressure areas with their core (the eye
of the storm) at the lowest atmospheric pressure of the region, which is why
many people complain of aches and pains as they get closer.
FACT: The
wind flowing around a cyclone moves in the counterclockwise direction in the
Northern Hemisphere, and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tropical Cyclones are formed because of heat, giving them
warm cores. There are also Polar Low Cyclones that have cold cores that can be
found in or near the Arctic during the winter.
Tropical Cyclone/Hurricane Threats:
·
Powerful winds (74-155 mph)
·
Torrential rain
·
Floods
·
High waves that tear at the coast line.
·
Storm Surges
·
Tornados
·
Water spouts
FACT:
Floods count for 60% of hurricane-related deaths.
Precautions:
1. Have
a plan for evacuation, including road routes you should take.
2. Stock
up on water, non-perishable food (canned goods), batteries, candles, matches,
and gas.
3. Get
flashlights, a battery-operated radio, and invest in a generator.
4. Prepare
your house by boarding up the windows, securing patio furniture, bringing in
trashcans, and winding swings around the top of the swing set.
5. Have
a little extra cash on you.
During a cyclone (hurricane), monitor broadcasts and stay
indoors!
QUESTION: What was the worst storm you’ve ever
experienced?
Tell me about it!
I went through three hurricanes in the space of two weeks: Charley, Francis, and Ivan. Francis was a beast! She's the hurricane that inspired Hurricane Sabrina in my story.
I went through three hurricanes in the space of two weeks: Charley, Francis, and Ivan. Francis was a beast! She's the hurricane that inspired Hurricane Sabrina in my story.
Disasters:
A: Avalanche
C: Cyclone
 |
| I'm a member of Tremp's Troops! |
I live outside Buffalo, NY, so blizzards are nothing new for me--you just stay inside--but one time I was visiting relatives in Alabama and that horrifying buzzing came on the radio, telling us there was a twister headed south down route 46. I looked out the window just as we passed the route 46 sign. That freaked me out, let me tell you.
ReplyDeleteWow! That would freak me out too. I've never seen a tornado or have been impacted one, but since we get a few in Florida every year, they scare me.
DeleteOur worst storm was definitely the hurricane of 1987. Our house was almost untouched, but we looked out the window and the large tree opposite had the whole top half in the road. It knocked out the power to our villagfe for a week. My husband remembers waking up at his home with a tree in his face - he hadn't heard it come through the window in the night :).
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Holy cow! I would not want to wake up with a tree in my face. I remember when Hurricane Francis hit, I was so afraid of falling trees and of the roof ripping off.
DeleteCyclones can do such incredible damage, but the other night on the nightly news we saw the 'top view' (from outer space) of the huge Cyclone Maysak that's raging right now. Such beautiful photos - but eerie when you see them from the silence of space, and can't see the havoc they're wreaking!
ReplyDeleteCyclones are crazy intense. The worse storms in my opinion...probably because that's all I've really experienced.
DeleteThe worst storms I've encountered are blizzard, although I do vaguely remember waiting through a hurricane when I was little.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing that hurricanes were approaching when I was little, but didn't experience any to where I'd remember the damage until I was a teen.
DeleteWe're lucky here we don't get much adverse weather except for a hurricane we had years ago. Your post illustrates these disasters so vivdly one can feel they are actually experiencing the disaster you're writing about.
ReplyDeleteWell done on another excellent post.
I'm glad you think my posts are powerful, Yvonne. I was hoping to convey the real danger of these disasters. Thank you!
DeleteBut don't stock up on milk! Because when the power goes out, it will go bad. I don't know why everyone always buys milk.
ReplyDeleteWe've been through two big hurricanes, Fran and Floyd. Fran was a 3 and the eye went right over our area. We had water damage in our attic and the winds knocked over a lot of stuff. Plus there was flooding. Floyd did more damage though because of the flooding - there was Hurricane Dennis the week before and a tropical depression the week after. We had almost 30 inches of rain in September 1999.
Maybe it's because milk is a nutritious drink? I don't know. I never stock up on milk. That's just silly.
DeleteI've experienced 3's and 5's. The difference is staggering.
We are also lucky and don't get awful weather, but I find it heartbreaking when you see the photographs of the aftermath :(
ReplyDeleteThe aftermath is always heartbreaking.
DeleteHave yet to experience this particular weather. Glad too although I feel for those who suffered from it's aftermath, like Katrina. Recently my family in NYC took a hit from Hurricane Sandy but they were alright.
ReplyDeleteHurricane Sandy did a lot of damage to NY. I'm glad your family was okay after that.
DeleteThe worst storm I've ever been in was in 1987, when a hurricane hit the UK. We're not used to violent storms and this one ripped up trees and took out power lines. It was nowhere near as devastating as the tropical ones can be, but it was a big shock to the UK.
ReplyDeleteSophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
FB3X
Wittegen Press
When you're not used to storms like this, they can be shocking.
DeleteWe've had a few here, I remember driving around and people were in a row boat on their lawn lol
ReplyDeleteHa! That sounds like my story Hurricane Crimes. People really do use rowboats and canoes to get around in extensive flooding.
DeleteWe get them here sometimes and it's scary listening to the wind.
ReplyDeleteThe wind...that howl...is frightening.
DeleteAlthough I grew up near the ocean, I never experienced a direct hit of a hurricane. I have been close to a tornado and experienced a number of blizzards, but probably the scariest was a thunderstorm on an exposed ridge at 11,000 feet.
ReplyDeleteA thunderstorm on a ridge at 11,000 feet? That sounds like the making of a good story.
DeleteWe tend to experience the end of hurricanes in Delaware, but we're also on sea level, so there's a lot of flooding.
ReplyDeleteFlooding is terrible.
DeleteBeen in a few hurricanes in Florida. Exciting as a kid, not so much as an adult:)
ReplyDeleteNope, not so much as an adult.
DeleteThere's something incredibly beautiful about the way a cyclone looks, flattened out in a 2D picture. My heart goes out to those who suffer its devastating effects in real life and I'm sure those people would strongly disagree with my observation. We have wicked storms in Illinois, particularly southern Illinois. Sometimes they creep up north and wham us.
ReplyDeleteThe images are amazing, aren't they? But the real thing is so, so devastating.
DeleteVery interesting! I used to live in Erie, PA, and was definitely stuck in my share of incredibly intense, scary blizzards.
ReplyDeleteBlizzards are scary. Just like hurricanes.
DeleteI'm glad we don't get cyclones and the like over here.
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky!
DeleteI'm so grateful I've never experienced one. Family during Katrina did. It can seriously do some damage.
ReplyDeleteKatrina was a nightmare. I fell for anyone who had to go through that storm.
DeleteI've lived in Michigan my whole life, so we don't really get severe storms. There are blizzards, but we're so used to snow that that doesn't really stop us. I think I'll skip the cyclones and hurricanes.
ReplyDelete~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
I was born in Michigan but lived in Florida my whole life, so I've never been through a blizzard but plenty of hurricanes.
DeleteSo they do spin in an opposite direction in the southern hemisphere. I've always wondered that.
ReplyDeleteThey do. :) I found that interesting.
DeleteVery informative! Thankfully we don't get more than residuals from the hurricanes that pass through the Sea of Cortez, but I always feel so anxious when the news channel shows folks trying to pack up or hunker down ahead of one; my heart says "Hurry, hurry, hurry!". You just shouldn't mess with nature...
ReplyDeleteNever should never be messed with or underestimated. If you think the storm is going to be weak, it ends up being severe.
DeleteI'm on the wrong side of the country for hurricanes. Earthquakes, the rare flood, and blizzards are more what we experience. The farmers here are praying for a tropical rainstorm right about now.
ReplyDeleteI'll be discussing those disasters too, Djinnia. :)
DeleteI don't recall ever being in a horrible storm, though I did visit Georgia once. While there a big storm was rolling in and I recall the air being very still and the sky was very dark during mid-day. Quite freaky.
ReplyDeleteThe air does get still before a storm. That's when you know a doozy is coming.
DeleteI just can't help but think of the Wizard of Oz!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the 2015 A to Z Challenge!
A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
http://pensuasion.blogspot.com
Ha! But that was a tornado. ;)
DeleteNever been in a hurricane or a cyclone. I'm trying to think of the worst storm. The only ones that come to mind are the thunderstorms we would get in Montana and in Santa Fe with impressive looking lightening and loud booming thunder. I think I've been spared really bad storms.
ReplyDeletebetty
Thunderstorms always scared me as a kid. It's that lightning and thunder. I start packing up my writing things when a severe thunderstorm is coming.
DeleteHurricane Katrina drove me to help the hurting in New Orleans. Hurricane Rita drove all the citizens of my town out due to a mandatory evacuation. The twin devestations made my world frightening for months. To come back to your city to find it looking like a set from THE WALKING DEAD is numbing. My city has never really recovered from it. :-(
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you helped the people who suffered from Katrina. Roland. I'm sorry your city hasn't recovered. That is heartbreaking.
DeleteHi Chrys .. I've never experienced one - just seen the on the tv .. but I can 'feel' Roland's fear - and I guess many residents who had to live through these terrible natural events ..
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
The fear of hurricanes and the sadness that stays after them is intense.
DeleteGeez! 3 hurricanes in 2 weeks??? I went through Andrew. The streets flooded and the kids across the street were outside swimming in the water, lol.
ReplyDeleteYup, that was back in 2004. It was a BAD time.
DeleteCyclones and Hurricanes are pretty scary. I've been close enough to a tornado to hear it and during Hurricane Hugo my family and I were driving up the East coast just prior to it making landfall. We crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel the day before Hugo hit Virginia and the Carolinas. Needless to say, the sky and the sea were eerie looking! Great theme! Enjoy the challenge :)
ReplyDeleteHearing a tornado would scare me. I'm one of those who hides in a closet when a tornado watch goes out.
DeleteI'm really not a fan of big wind, and this big wind that just goes in circles is for the birds. Not really. Birds wouldn't like it at all. I've been NEAR a couple of tornados and that's scary--very scary. But I've never been close enough to FEEL it. The biggest storm I directly experienced was a high speed wind storm in Portland. I was working in a pub. We lost power but because everyone around had too, we were pretty busy until mid afternoon--pouring beer and making cold sandwiches. But then I had to drive home... I felt like my car was going to blow away, which was bad enough, and then I watched a 200 foot Douglas Fir fall RIGHT next to the road.
ReplyDeleteI've never been near a tornado but there were warnings near me. Driving in strong winds is scary and not safe. Good thing you made it home!
DeleteIvan really slammed us but my sister went through Katrina so we don't complain much. She didn't have electric for more than a week and it changed her town of Picayune forever.
ReplyDeleteKatrina was a terrible storm. Francis knocked my power out for a week. Luckily, I didn't suffer much damage to my house.
Deletewell I feel wet and blustered about just reading this.
ReplyDeleteNever really been in that much of a storm.
Loved the story about Grace Darling when I was a girl
You're lucky to not have been in a storm like this. And I hope you never will be.
DeleteThis is proving to be an educational series, Chrys! I have actually been through a tornado but I won't go into it until you get to the 'T' in your challenge b/c you may be posting about it. You've been through 3 Hurricanes? It makes perfect sense that you wrote a crime novel based on a Hurricane! Awesome. Katrina was horrific. Remember the evacuation routes were at a standstill as everyone was trying to escape. That could be a novel right there. Waiting to evacuate, stuck on the road.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you think so. :)
DeleteYou must be psychic. ;) I can't wait to hear that story, Lisa. Yup, three hurricanes in two weeks. Plus, other close calls and Tropical Storm Fay that stayed for a week.
I couldn't even imagine the fear and impatient those people felt.
I didn't realise people felt aches and pains when a cyclone was close. Great fact!
ReplyDeleteSometimes my elbow, where I fractured it as a kid, hurts when a hurricane is approaching.
DeleteSuch a destructive force. At least we don't have to deal with a storm system like the one Jupiter has. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're right!
DeleteI've never experienced a hurricane, but news reports I've seen of them look scary. We have tornadoes where I live.
ReplyDeleteHurricanes are scary and so are tornadoes.
DeleteWhat a great topic for the A to Z! Another of my author friends compiled a book of stories of the women who lived through the Joplin tornado. What an ordeal!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the other disasters you come up with.
I'd like to read that collection of stories.
DeleteUgh, I don't think I could ever live in an area that gets regular hurricanes. I have been to NOLA shortly after Katrina and it was shocking. We get bad storms in Hungary, but since it is mountain-locked, not nearly as bad.
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
You'd think Florida would get hit every year, but we haven't been touched by a hurricane in 10 years.
DeleteI'm terrified of hurricanes, and I guess cyclones, too. One of the main factors determining which island we move to next year is that it has to be outside the hurricane belt.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you've survived three! That must have been scary.
Hurricane are fierce. It's best to avoid them if you can. It was pretty scary. Especially Francis. She really wailed on us.
DeleteI was caught in a tornado, while trying to ask a girl I liked out... she wasn't there as I found out. The tornado was, I jumped out of my car at the time and hid under a construction crane... yeah not to smart. I know.
ReplyDeleteWelcome in the "C"... thank you!
Jeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2015]
There's no earthly way of knowing.
Which direction we are going!
HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
Come Visit: You know you want to know if me or Hollywood... is Nuts?
Oh my goodness! All to ask a girl out? Wow! That must've been some crush. ;)
DeleteHurricane Ivan was descending on Atlanta Ga, when I was trying to get back to Canada in 2004 (I think). Planes were delayed but we got out with Ivan on our tail (or the jets'). Guess what movie was playing on the plane - The Day After Tomorrow. . .and the plane had left but came back with brake line trouble and I boarded by myself while everyone on the plane just stared at me .
ReplyDeleteHaha! I love The Day After Tomorrow, but not something you want to match in a plane when a hurricane is hitting.
DeleteI've never been near a cyclone! But have been preeeetty close to a few tornadoes. With a tornado, an inch is as good as a mile.....just so that it misses you. They will level one house and not break a single flower in the house next door. You never know!
ReplyDeleteTornadoes have interested destruction paths.
DeleteHurricane Agnes in 1972. I was 9 years old and the entire family spent 12 hours manning a sump pump, buckets and shop vacs to keep the rising water from flooding the basement. A 30 foot tree in the backyard was uprooted but fortunately fell away from the house. All in all we were very, very lucky.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh! That does not sound like fun.
DeleteWorst storm? I don't think I've been in any of note. Some hard rain and a little flooding (up to ankle height outside, but no water damage indoors), but nothing more than that.
ReplyDeleteThen you're lucky! And I hope you don't experience anything more than that.
DeleteI haven't seen any cyclones where I am since they're just hurricanes here. The worst storm I've seen was hurricane Isaac a couple of years ago. There was a lot of damage from that one.
ReplyDeleteWell it is the same thing. :P Just a different name.
DeleteWe just survived Hurricane Sandy here at the Jersey Shore and she was a real "B" word. Worst storm I've ever seen. Many people are still without homes and no relief is in sight. The flooding was so scary- the water just came up SO fast. No one could have predicted the kind of destruction Sandy left behind.
ReplyDeleteYes, she was! She wrecked a lot of havoc.
DeleteMy neighborhood in upstate New York was flooded by Tropical Storm Lee in September of 2011. My husband and I were more fortunate than others - first, by only having several thousand dollars of damage, and, secondly, being on vacation at the time. But it was still a stressful time, both physically, and emotionally. I still fear heavy rains. Perhaps I always will.
ReplyDeleteGood thing for that vacation, huh? When you have to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane, it is very stressful. Fearing heavy rain is understandable after that.
DeleteThe amount of damage natural disaster can cause is crazy. Luckily the worst kind of storm I've ever been in is a thunderstorm.
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy!
DeleteI never would have thought that flooding kills more folks in a hurricane than the wind, but Katrina changed all that. So tragic.
ReplyDeleteKatrina was very tragic. Some people try to walk and drive through floods and they end up getting swept away.
DeleteI live on Lake Ontario and we had a hurricane come from the north off the lake. The winds were so strong, I insisted the family sleep in the basement, but all went well. I remember when Hurricane Hugo hit South Carolina and North Carolina back in 1987. I was a freshman in college at UNC-CH.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great theme.
If I had a basement, I'd sleep there. As long as it didn't flood!
DeleteI rem hearing about Francis!! Hands down, Hurricane Sandy! worst storm of my life...I was SO scared. Trees just kept crashing down!
ReplyDeleteThat does sound scary. She was a true B* that Sandy was.
DeleteWe just missed the massive Cat 5 Cyclone Pam, It turned before a direct hit. We were battened down pretty well, just in case. And the winds took most of our fruit, but no real damage. We were lucky.
ReplyDeleteI heard about Cyclone Pam for the first time yesterday and I thought that was an odd coincidence with my theme. Thank goodness she missed you.
DeleteI went through Hurricane Floyd while visiting family in North Carolina. That was a trip! It's interesting the the cyclones move one direction in the northern hemisphere and another in the southern. Great factoid there! I just happened upon your blog and am very interested in checking out your disaster crime series! I love storms. Especially snow storms. I'm originally from Buffalo NY so have seen my share of them. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHappy A-Zing...
Michele at Angels Bark
I don't have a story set during a snow storm...yet. ;)
DeleteCyclones are very common in the south and south-east parts of India. By God's grace, I haven't had the chance to be in one or witness one. But it sounds pretty devastating for families who are affected in such disasters. Thanks for sharing !
ReplyDeleteWith them being so common, you're lucky!
DeleteThree hurricanes in two weeks? I'm glad you're here to tell the tale!
ReplyDeleteWay up there at the top, Natasha Duncan-Drake must come from the same part of the world I do. The hurricane of 1987 was the worst storm I've experienced, but it was still mild compared to what you guys get. Trees were definitely the biggest victims!
So am I!
DeleteTrees falling is a scary thing that happens during strong storms because you never know where they'll fall.
I've always wanted to live near the water, but frankly, the hurricane and cyclone tales make me glad I'm inland.
ReplyDeleteYou could always evacuate if you live near the water.
DeleteGreat facts. Living in So. Cal., I don't experience many storms nor know much about them. Thanks for the information. Glad you got through all your storms safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteScribbles From Jenn - Visiting from the A to Z Challenge
Thanks, Jenn!
DeleteNever experienced a bad storm. Maybe a few bad windy ones.
ReplyDeleteThat's good!
DeleteThree hurricanes in two weeks? Holy smokes, that's scary! I've never been in a severe storm. Been fortunate to live in pretty mild areas, weather wise.
ReplyDeleteIt was! We just wanted a relief but they kept on coming.
DeleteA few storms
ReplyDeleteA few could be a few too many.
DeleteOne of the reasons why I'm glad I live here in England - the worst weather we get is gale force winds and torrential rain every now and then.
ReplyDeleteA lot of my commenters are from England and they all say the same thing. If only I could move there. ;)
DeletePeople feel aches and pains when a cyclone is close... very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI've never experienced a cyclone. Sounds really scary.
We're fortunate that we don't get many life-threatening storms this side of the globe.
It's true...I have felt that aches and pains.
DeleteThat is very fortunate.
I would not want to go through a cyclone. I have experienced power outages and once lightening hit our house and our TV blew literally right out. My mom was just ready to turn it off. There was a big hole in the TV. The outside Hydro meter was completely blown also. Lucky the house didn't catch fire
ReplyDeleteJeez! A hole in the TV? Good thing you're mom wasn't turning it off at the time the lightning hit.
DeleteCertainly the biggest threat to the east coast, and the gulf. Seems like Hurricane season lasts longer every year.
ReplyDeleteYou can say that again! Odd thing is, Florida hasn't been hit by a hurricane in 10 years.
Delete