Living in Florida and knowing the difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane can save you time, money and stress. Whether you are a native to Florida or you are a new resident, it is beneficial to be informed about tropical storms and hurricanes, and how to prepare for them.
Maybe you wonder where the term hurricane is derived from. According to ancient mythology, the Mayan god of the storm was called Huracan. Legend has it that the word Hurricane was derived from the god Huracan’s name because the Earth was once completely water until Huracan blew the water apart to reveal the land below the sea.
What’s the difference?
Large storms form over the water and are known to start out as low pressure systems called tropical depressions. Tropical depression winds are about 23 to 39 miles per hour. After the winds reach 39 miles per hour the storm is then considered a tropical storm. If the tropical storm keep progressing and gaining strength over the ocean and its winds reach up to 74 miles per hour then it is classified as a hurricane. If the tropical storm was given a name then it keeps this same name once it becomes a hurricane.
The wind speed is the main difference between a tropical depression, a tropical storm and a hurricane. Tropical storms and hurricanes happen most often during the summer months of the year because the ocean’s temperature must be at least eighty degrees or higher for storms to gain their strength from the water.
Hurricane winds spiral around the eye and as the winds strengthen the water vapor condenses and releases massive amounts of heat energy. This latent heat that is released helps build the eyewall of the hurricane.
Should I prepare?
A tropical storm could quickly escalate into a hurricane in a short amount of time. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Preparing your home for the unexpected could potentially save your home from hurricane force winds causing debris to break your windows.
Brevard Shutters is prepared to help you with storm protection. We offer a wide array of hurricane shutters for residents of Melbourne, Palm Bay, Indialantic and beyond. Let us help prepare your home for hurricanes and tropical storm force winds. We have storm shutters of all kinds that require no additional work after setup.
