Create-A-Cane site here

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/games/canelab.htm.

Use this interactive game to create a "perfect storm." Go through and adjust the atmospheric conditions to produce a powerful hurricane and answer the following questions:

1. What types of winds were required in each level of the atmosphere? Describe the wind speed and direction at each level.

2. Why is it critical that all levels blow in the same direction to form a tropical storm? What happens when you have lower winds blowing a different direction than upper winds?

3. It seems intuitive that stronger winds would be better for forming a hurricane. Why is this not the case? ES 1010, Earth Science 4

4. What was the ideal latitude range for the formation of the tropical storm? Why?

5. Given that tropical storms/hurricanes require high moisture and temperatures, why can't tropical storms form at the equator (0 degrees latitude), where temperatures and moisture are generally very high?

6. What moisture level was required for each of the atmospheric layers?

7. Why is moisture critical to form a hurricane?

8. How did the sea temperature affect your score? Why?

9. Which of the above factors seem to make the biggest difference in your score and why?

10. Explain why hurricanes dissipate so quickly once they make landfall.