1. The word hurricane comes from the Taino Native American word, hurucane, meaning “evil spirit of the wind.”
2. In the Pacific Ocean, Hurricanes are generally known as typhoons. In the Indian Ocean they are called tropical cyclones.
3. Hurricanes are the only weather disasters that have been given their own names.
4. The man who first gave names to hurricanes was an Australian weather forecaster named C. Wragge in the early 1900s.
5. The first hurricane of the year is given a name beginning with the letter “A”.
6. The first hurricane with a male’s name was Hurricane Bob which hit near New Orleans in July 1979.
7. Two hurricanes were named Alice in 1954. One in June and one in December.
8. When a hurricane is especially devastating, its name is permanently retired and another name replaces it.
9. The first hurricane to hit the American Colonies happened on August 25, 1635.
10. The first time anyone flew into a hurricane happened in 1943 in the middle of World War II.
11. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, people went to Hurricane parties to watch hurricanes rather than flee from danger. There were claims that in 1969, Hurricane Camille wrecked a hotel where a hurricane party was being held and killed 8 people. However, there have been claims there was never a hurricane party and the actual number of fatalities were not accurate. Still, the tale inspired a Hollywood movie.
12. Bangladesh was a country that was created from a hurricane. In 1970, this region of Pakistan was struck by a cyclone and 500,000 people died. The people felt their government did not do enough to help after the disaster so in 1971, they voted to be independent of Pakistan and Bangladesh was born.
13. Hurricanes do not occur in the South Atlantic Ocean, where the waters are too cold for them to form.
14. Plants have developed different ways of protecting themselves from powerful winds. Palm trees, which grow mainly in tropical parts of the world where hurricanes sometimes occur, have flexible trunks that bend and spring back in high winds but rarely break.
15. The planet Jupiter has a hurricane which has been going on for over 300 years. It can be seen as a red spot on the planet. This hurricane on Jupiter is bigger than the Earth itself. Hurricanes are no joking matter, as residents of a hurricane hot spot we know this all too well. Remember to get your free quote from Elzey Insurance today!!